Sunetra Pawar Set to Become Maharashtra's First Woman Deputy Chief Minister

This comes days after the sudden and untimely death of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in the plane crash on Wednesday.

Sunetra Pawar, later in the evening, will be sworn in at the Lok Bhavan.

State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare, after he met with party working president Praful Patel, told reporters that, "The legislature party meeting has been convened on Saturday to elect a new leader on Saturday."

NCP has decided to hold the legislature party meeting on January 31 after Sunetra Pawar gave her consent to accept the new responsibility. She is currently a Rajya Sabha member.

Sunetra Pawar, along with son Parth, will leave from Baramati for Mumbai on early Saturday morning to attend the legislature party meeting.

After her formal election, the state NCP chief Sunil Tatkare will send a formal letter to the Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to induct her into the state cabinet as the Deputy Chief Minister.

Tatkare has dashed off a letter to all party legislators, including 40 from the state assembly and nine from the state council, to remain present at Saturday's legislative party meeting to be held at Vidhan Bhavan.

Earlier, a high-level NCP delegation on Friday morning met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and discussed a wide range of issues, including the appointment of the legislative party leader and Deputy Chief Minister in the wake of the sudden and untimely death of Ajit Pawar.

The delegation included party working president Praful Patel, state unit chief Sunil Tatkare, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif and former minister Dhananjay Munde. This development takes place after a significant leadership vacuum has emerged within both the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Mahayuti government.

Speaking to the media after the meeting, NCP working president Praful Patel said, "We discussed a new legislative party leader and Deputy Chief Minister. The meeting of the legislative party will be convened to elect a new leader."

He further stated, "We have informed Fadnavis that a decision regarding the cabinet portfolios and leadership must be made as soon as possible. We will finalise our stand after consulting with all our party MLAs."

He said that the party hopes to take the future course of action, taking into account the feelings of the party legislators, office bearers and the cadres.

Patel said the party has not given any formal indication on appointing late Ajit Pawar's wife and MP Sunetra Pawar as the Deputy Chief Minister.

"We did not discuss Sunetra Pawar's name with the CM today. That remains an internal party matter." He further stated, "The family is still in mourning and performing last rites. We intend to speak with Sunetra Pawar either tonight or tomorrow, once the immediate rituals are concluded."

Patel said that any decision regarding the Deputy CM post would be based on the sentiments of the party's legislators. He added, "We have met Sunetra Pawar after the tragic incident and assured her party's support during the present crisis and in the future also."

NCP minister Chhagan Bhujbal said, "The legislature party meeting of the NCP will be convened on Saturday, where Sunetra Pawar will be named as its leader. Many leaders want her to become the Deputy CM."

"Senior NCP leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare are looking into the technicalities of the mourning period and other finer details...Sometimes, there is a three-day mourning period and sometimes 10 days," Sai's Bhujbal.

NCP chief whip Anil Bhaidas Patil said the party leadership was yet to finalise the time and date for the meeting of its legislators.

"It will be decided after talking to the leadership," NCP minister Narhari Zirwal, on Thursday, after the funeral of Ajit Pawar in Baramati, told reporters that Sunetra Pawar should be made the next Deputy Chief Minister.

"It will ensure that the political legacy of the Pawar family continues," he said.

- IANS