Maharashtra Politics: Sunetra Pawar Elected NCP Legislature Party Leader
Mumbai, 31st January 2026: Sunetra Pawar, wife of the late Ajit Pawar, is set to become the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, marking a historic moment as the state’s first woman to hold the post. She was unanimously elected as the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) legislative group at a meeting held at the Vidhan Bhavan on Saturday afternoon.
The decision was taken at around 2 pm during a joint meeting of NCP MLAs and members of the Legislative Council. Senior party leader Dilip Walse Patil formally proposed Sunetra Pawar’s name, which was approved by party legislators. She is scheduled to take the oath of office at 5 pm today.
Ahead of the swearing-in ceremony, Sunetra Pawar resigned from her post as a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament. The Deputy Chief Minister’s position had fallen vacant following the tragic death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati on January 28.
Sunetra Pawar arrived at the Vidhan Bhavan at around 1:40 pm, where she paid floral tribute to Ajit Pawar’s photograph before attending the meeting. All 41 NCP legislators were present at the gathering.
Senior leaders including Sunil Tatkare, NCP Working President Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal and other party functionaries attended the meeting and expressed their support for her leadership.
Party sources said Sunetra Pawar’s elevation is being seen as a move to ensure political stability in the wake of Ajit Pawar’s sudden demise, while also setting a new milestone in Maharashtra’s political history with the appointment of its first woman Deputy Chief Minister.
