Mumbai, Jan 31: Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar arrived in Mumbai early Saturday, ahead of her historic swearing in as Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister. She will replace her late husband and NCP chief Ajit Pawar in the state cabinet. Sunetra Pawar reached Devgiri, her husband’s official residence in south Mumbai, accompanied by her son Parth.
The 62-year-old, who is currently not a member of either house of the Maharashtra legislature, is scheduled to be elected as leader of the Nationalist Congress Party’s legislature wing at a meeting in Mumbai on Saturday afternoon, paving the way for her deputy CM induction.
Speculation of a possible merger between the NCP factions led by Sharad Pawar and Ajit Pawar gained momentum following Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash on Wednesday. However, sources from NCP (SP) and Sharad Pawar’s family said they were unaware of Sunetra Pawar’s decision to join the BJP-led Mahayuti government. “The NCP (SP) leadership and Sharad Pawar’s family members were completely in the dark about her plans,” a source noted.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis affirmed that the ruling alliance would support the decision of the late Ajit Pawar’s family and party. “The NCP will take whatever decision it has to take for the post of deputy chief minister, and we will support it. We stand behind the family of Ajit Dada and the NCP,” he told reporters in Nagpur.
Until the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sunetra Pawar maintained a low public profile. She contested from Baramati as her husband’s party candidate but was defeated by her sister in law and NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule. Subsequently, she was elected to the Rajya Sabha.
The NCP legislature wing meeting in Mumbai, scheduled for Saturday afternoon, will officially confirm her as party leader and set the stage for her swearing-in, senior state minister Chhagan Bhujbal said.