Mumbai: In a historic development, Sunetra Pawar, widow of late Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar, was sworn in today as Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister, assuming leadership of three important ministries excise duty, sports and youth welfare, and minorities development. The state’s finance and planning portfolios, previously overseen by her late husband, will continue under Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Sunetra Pawar, 62, was unanimously elected as the NCP Legislature Party leader earlier in the day, with her nomination proposed by senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal and seconded by Dilip Patil along with several MLAs. A formal communication of her election was sent to Chief Minister Fadnavis, who then forwarded it to Governor Acharya Devvrat.
Following her oath, Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his best wishes to the newly appointed Deputy Chief Minister. Among family members, Rohit Pawar, MLA from Karjat-Jamkhed and relative of Sunetra Pawar, expressed deep emotions on X, stating that while no one could replace "Ajit dada," Sunetrabai’s presence allowed a sense of continuity for the late leader’s legacy. “With a mountain of grief weighing on our heads, we don’t even know how to offer them congratulations,” he added.
The political focus now shifts to the ongoing reunification talks within the NCP. Party patriarch Sharad Pawar admitted that he was initially unaware of Sunetra Pawar’s election and appointment. After being briefed by Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar and MLA Rohit Pawar, Sharad Pawar clarified that he was not directly involved in the negotiations, which he said were taking place between Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil.
Until the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sunetra Pawar maintained a relatively low political profile. In 2024, she contested from Baramati as an NCP candidate, but lost to her sister-in-law and NCP (Sharad Pawar) MP Supriya Sule in a high-profile family electoral contest. Subsequently, she was elected to the Rajya Sabha, steadily gaining political experience.
Sources indicate that within hours of Ajit Pawar’s tragic death in the Baramati plane crash, top leaders of the Ajit Pawar faction communicated the plan to elevate Sunetra Pawar as the state’s Deputy Chief Minister. While senior leaders were wary of a potential resurgence of Sharad Pawar’s influence in the party through a merger, they saw Sunetra Pawar as the natural heir to Ajit Pawar’s political mantle, ensuring continuity of his faction’s leadership.
Even amid the family’s grief, political strategists moved quickly to secure Sunetra Pawar’s position, reflecting the urgent realities of Maharashtra’s political landscape. Her swearing-in is being seen as a significant step in maintaining stability within the NCP, while also marking a historic first for women’s leadership in Maharashtra.