Maharashtra Politics: Low-Key Oath, High-Voltage Politics: Maharashtra Braces for Major NCP Move

Political activity in Maharashtra has intensified ahead of the swearing-in ceremony of Sunetra Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister. The oath-taking is scheduled for the evening, preceded by a crucial NCP legislators’ meeting at 2:00 PM. From Mumbai to Baramati, a series of high-level meetings and political consultations are underway, highlighting deep internal churn within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP). Senior leaders including Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare met Sunetra Pawar at Ajit Pawar’s official residence, Devgiri, while an equally significant meeting took place at NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Sharad Pawar’s residence in Baramati. This meeting was attended by Supriya Sule, Rohit Pawar, Rajendra Pawar, Yogendra Pawar, and notably, Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar—signaling an effort to maintain family and political unity during a sensitive phase. Sharad Pawar stated that he was not informed about the decision to appoint Sunetra Pawar as Deputy CM, expressing concern over being kept out of the loop. He also made a major revelation, claiming that discussions on merging the two NCP factions had been ongoing for four months, with a public announcement planned for February 12. While Ajit Pawar’s faction is focused on consolidating power within the Mahayuti government, Sharad Pawar’s camp continues to emphasize the proposed merger. Sunetra Pawar’s oath-taking is expected to be a low-key affair, respecting recent personal loss.

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