Sunetra Pawar may become Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister in place of Ajit Pawar, NCP calls meeting
Mumbai (The Uttam Hindu): Following the demise of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, preparations are underway to fill the leadership vacuum in the Maharashtra government. His wife, Sunetra Pawar, is likely to be entrusted with the responsibility. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has called an important meeting around 2 pm, during which Sunetra Pawar is expected to be chosen as the new leader of the legislature party.
There was noticeable activity outside Ajit Pawar’s Devgiri bungalow on Saturday morning, with party workers gathering to pay their respects. Party worker Rupali Patel said Ajit Pawar cared for workers like a father and that it is still hard to believe he is no longer among them. She added that his sudden departure has left everyone deeply shaken.
Patel said politics is difficult for ordinary workers, but Ajit Pawar always created opportunities for them. She noted that Sunetra Pawar handled many responsibilities behind the scenes and played a key role in supporting his work.
According to Patel, while the party is grieving, Sunetra Pawar’s loss is beyond words. Party workers requested her to carry forward Ajit Pawar’s vision, and she agreed to their appeal. She is expected to take oath as Deputy Chief Minister later today.
As per available information, Sunetra Pawar will be sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday at 5 pm. She will become the first woman to hold the post in Maharashtra.
Meanwhile, this development may also put an end to speculation about a possible merger with the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction. Talks about uniting the two NCP groups had been ongoing for several days. Recently, NCP-SP claimed that discussions were final and only a formal announcement was pending.
Senior leader Eknath Khadse said on Friday that talks had been going on for three to four months and that a merger plan was almost finalized. Former Home Minister Anil Deshmukh also stated that Ajit Pawar was in favour of the merger, while Jayant Patil had held meetings in this regard. However, for now, the NCP has called a meeting to elect Sunetra Pawar as the legislature party leader while continuing with the NDA alliance.