Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar is expected to be sworn in as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday, succeeding her late husband Ajit Pawar in the cabinet. The development signals the party’s decision to continue with the ruling Mahayuti alliance while putting merger talks on hold.
Sunetra Pawar would become the first woman to hold the post of Deputy Chief Minister in Maharashtra. The position was created in 1978, coinciding with the beginning of the coalition government era in the state.
Following the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in an air crash in Baramati on Wednesday, a section of NCP leaders had urged the party to appoint her to the post earlier held by her husband in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government.
Party Meeting On Saturday
According to news agency PTI, her acceptance of the proposal has already been conveyed to senior leaders.
“Tomorrow (Saturday), a parliamentary board meeting of the party will take place in Mumbai, where Sunetra Pawar will be elected as the leader of the NCP legislature party,” PTI quoted a source as saying.
“It is likely that she will be sworn-in as Deputy Chief Minister by tomorrow evening,” the source privy to the developments added.
Fadnavis Assures Support
Addressing reporters in Nagpur, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the BJP, which leads the Mahayuti alliance, would back any decision taken by the Pawar family and the NCP.
“The NCP will take whatever decision it has to take for the post of deputy chief minister, and the government and the BJP will support the decision. I can only tell you that we are standing behind the family of Ajit Dada and the NCP,” the chief minister said.
Until the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sunetra Pawar largely remained out of the political spotlight. In the general elections that year, she contested from Baramati on an NCP ticket but lost to her sister-in-law and incumbent NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule in a closely watched contest.
She was later elected to the Rajya Sabha.
Legislature Wing To Name NCP Leader Today
The NCP’s legislature wing will meet in Mumbai on January 31 to formally name Sunetra Pawar as its leader, state minister and senior party leader Chhagan Bhujbal said earlier in the day.
Fadnavis had indicated that he had no objection to the swearing-in taking place on Saturday itself, provided the party elected her as the new legislature wing leader, Bhujbal said.
“Many leaders want her to become the deputy CM,” Bhujbal told reporters.
Merger Talks Put On Hold
The NCP’s strength in the 288-member Maharashtra Assembly has fallen to 40 following Ajit Pawar’s death. He represented the Baramati assembly constituency in Pune district.
Amid rapid political developments within the party, discussions on a possible merger between the NCP and rival faction NCP (SP), part of the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), are likely to be deferred.
Party leaders said the immediate priority was to fill the vacant posts of legislature party leader and Deputy Chief Minister, both previously held by Ajit Pawar.
“The ball is now in the court of the Pawar family and the NCP to take a call on the reunification of the two groups,” leaders said.
“A merger is the need of the hour to build a strong NCP and provide an effective political alternative. Talks had reached an advanced stage, but in Ajit Pawar’s absence, the question now is who will take the final decision,” a senior NCP (SP) leader said.
Besides the BJP and the NCP, the ruling Mahayuti alliance also includes the Shiv Sena.
