From Tragedy to Power: Sunetra Pawar Becomes Maharashtra’s First Woman Deputy CM

• Assigned Excise, Sports & Youth Welfare, and Minority Development portfolios

• Finance and Planning to remain with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis

• Political move seen as crucial amid NCP reunification talks

GG News Bureau
Mumbai:31 Jan: Sunetra Pawar on Friday scripted history by becoming Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister, taking oath at Raj Bhavan amid extraordinary personal loss and intense political churn within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP).

Earlier in the day, Sunetra Pawar was unanimously elected as the leader of the NCP Legislature Party, a decision proposed by senior leader Chhagan Bhujbal and seconded by Dilip Patil along with several party MLAs. The party formally informed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who forwarded the recommendation to Governor Acharya Devvrat, clearing the way for her swearing-in.

Portfolios Allocated

Following her induction, Sunetra Pawar was assigned the Excise Duty, Sports and Youth Welfare, and Minority Development departments. The key Finance and Planning portfolios, earlier held by her late husband Ajit Pawar, will now be managed by Chief Minister Fadnavis.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sunetra Pawar soon after she assumed office.

Reactions from Party Leaders

Karjat–Jamkhed MLA Rohit Pawar said that while no one could replace Ajit Pawar, the party and family felt his presence “in some form through Sunetrabai.” He added that the moment was emotionally overwhelming, making it difficult to even express congratulations amid deep mourning.

Impact on NCP Reunification Talks

Sunetra Pawar’s elevation has sharpened focus on the ongoing discussions around a possible reunification of the NCP. Veteran leader Sharad Pawar initially said he was unaware of her election as legislature party leader and her appointment as Deputy Chief Minister. Later, Ajit Pawar’s son Parth Pawar and MLA Rohit Pawar met him to brief him on the developments.

Sharad Pawar subsequently clarified that while talks on reunification were underway, he was not directly involved. He said the discussions were being held between Ajit Pawar and senior leader Jayant Patil.

Political Background

Until the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sunetra Pawar largely maintained a low public profile. She contested from Baramati on the ticket of her husband’s faction of the NCP but lost the high-stakes contest to her sister-in-law, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MP Supriya Sule. She was later elected to the Rajya Sabha.

Why the Move Matters

Sources indicated that the proposal to appoint Sunetra Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister was conveyed to her within hours of Ajit Pawar’s death. Leaders of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction were reportedly wary of a merger with the Sharad Pawar group, fearing it could restore Sharad Pawar’s dominance within the party. They instead wanted Sunetra Pawar to be projected as Ajit Pawar’s political successor.

The Ajit Pawar camp also anticipated that his death could prompt the Sharad Pawar faction to accelerate reunification talks to consolidate leadership control. Against this backdrop, Sunetra Pawar was encouraged to step forward and take charge despite the family being in mourning.

Even as senior political leaders gathered in Baramati to pay their respects, political consultations were already underway. Sources said the rapidly evolving situation made swift decisions unavoidable, leading to Sunetra Pawar’s induction as Deputy Chief Minister.