Sunetra Pawar to Be Sworn in as Maharashtra Deputy CM Following Ajit Pawar’s Death

Mumbai: Sunetra Pawar, the widow of the late Ajit Pawar, is set to be sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on Saturday, state political leaders and party sources confirmed. The decision comes just days after Ajit Pawar — a towering figure in the state’s politics and Deputy Chief Minister — died in a tragic plane crash earlier this week.

Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP and senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader, is expected to take the oath of office on Saturday evening, marking a significant transition in the state’s political landscape. If confirmed, she will become Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

The move has been widely anticipated since NCP leaders signalled their intention to appoint her to the role during a party legislature meeting scheduled for Saturday, where she will be elected as the party’s legislature wing leader ahead of the swearing-in. Senior ministers and party figures say the decision reflects both continuity after Ajit Pawar’s sudden passing and broad support within the Mahayuti government.

Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and the Mahayuti allies have publicly pledged support for the NCP’s choice, indicating that the governing bloc will back whatever leadership decision the party makes in the wake of the Ajit Pawar's death. Fadnavis described the alliance’s position as one of unity and solidarity with the Pawar family, noting there was no objection from the BJP to Sunetra Pawar’s elevation.