After the sudden passing of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, a significant power shift has occurred within the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) in the state. Sunetra Pawar has stepped in to fill the leadership vacuum, becoming the state’s first female Deputy Chief Minister and assuming the role of NCP President, consolidating all executive powers. To ensure organizational stability, she has introduced a “triple-layer” distribution of responsibilities within the family, aiming to maintain control and prevent internal challenges from senior NCP members.
Sunetra Pawar will oversee the party’s statewide organization and final decision-making processes, driving the party’s growth strategy. Her elder son, Parth Pawar, a member of the NCP Rajya Sabha, will handle party affairs in Delhi and Mumbai. Meanwhile, her younger son, Jay Pawar, will be responsible for overseeing the Baramati, Beed, and Pune rural regions. This strategic delegation of roles indicates a long-term plan to uphold Ajit Pawar’s legacy and sustain the NCP’s influence in Maharashtra politics.
The recent succession of Sunetra Pawar at the helm of the NCP organization led to an incident within the party. Her letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI) requesting the nullification of all correspondence between the period of her husband’s death and her assumption of party leadership raised concerns about her trust in State NCP President Sunil Tatkare and NCP’s National Working President Praful Patel. The upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council election is viewed as an opportunity for the Pawar family to reinforce their dominance in party decision-making and demonstrate that loyalty will be recognized.
In the midst of these developments, the political scenario in Baramati intensified during a recent by-election, with Jay Pawar hinting at his potential electoral debut. The ongoing “Pawar vs. Pawar” rivalry remains heated, with NCP-SP legislator Rohit Pawar suggesting that if Jay Pawar contests in 2029, the opposing faction might field Yugendra Pawar, setting the stage for a significant family competition.
