Sunetra Pawar, the wife of late deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, has been appointed as Maharashtra’s first female Deputy Chief Minister. The oath-taking ceremony was conducted by Governor Acharya Devvrat at Lok Bhavan, attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and other dignitaries. Following this, Ajit Pawar’s supporters expressed their support for Sunetra Pawar.
Sunetra Pawar was elected as the NCP Legislature Party leader, with unanimous support from party members. Despite the recent tragic loss of her husband in a plane crash, she accepted the responsibility. State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare informed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about Sunetra Pawar’s new role in the Council of Ministers.
NCP supremo Sharad Pawar clarified that he was not consulted about Sunetra Pawar’s appointment. He mentioned ongoing discussions for the merger of NCP factions, led by Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil. However, with Ajit Pawar’s sudden demise, the future of these talks remains uncertain. Sharad Pawar emphasized the need for someone to step up and fill Ajit Pawar’s role in the party.
