31 January,2026 10:29 AM IST | Mumbai | mid-day online correspondent
NCP leader Ajit Pawar with wife and party leader Sunetra Pawar. Pic/PTI
Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar arrived in Mumbai early Saturday, setting the stage for her elevation as Maharashtra's first woman Deputy Chief Minister, days after the death of her husband and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Ajit Pawar, reported news agency PTI.
Sunetra Pawar reached Devgiri, the late leader's official residence in south Mumbai, in the early hours, accompanied by her son Parth. Though she is not currently a member of either House of the Maharashtra legislature, the 62-year-old is expected to be chosen as leader of the NCP's legislature wing at a party meeting later in the day, paving the way for her swearing-in, reported PTI.
Speculation about a possible reunification of the NCP with the faction led by party founder Sharad Pawar intensified after Ajit Pawar's death in a mid-week air crash. However, sources from the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) and the Pawar family said they had no advance knowledge of Sunetra Pawar's move to join the BJP-led Mahayuti government. "Neither the party leadership nor family members were informed about her plans," a source told PTI.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party would back the decision taken by the late leader's family and the NCP. Speaking to reporters in Nagpur on Friday, he said the alliance stood firmly with Ajit Pawar's family and party.
Until the Lok Sabha elections 2024, Sunetra Pawar largely stayed away from active politics. She entered the fray from Baramati that year on an NCP ticket but lost to her sister-in-law and sitting NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule. She was later elected to the Rajya Sabha.
Senior NCP leader and state minister Chhagan Bhujbal said the party's legislature wing would meet in Mumbai on Saturday afternoon to formally name Sunetra Pawar as its leader, reported PTI.
Meanwhile, amid reports that Sunetra Pawar, wife of Ajit Pawar, will be sworn in as the Maharashtra deputy chief minister, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar on Saturday distanced himself from the development, claiming he had no idea about it.
Addressing a press conference in Baramati, Pawar said that he had found out about the swearing-in through media reports.
"We don't know about the swearing-in. We got to know about it through the news. I have no idea about the swearing-in," he said, when asked if anyone from the Pawar family would be attending the ceremony.
He said the NCP must have made the decision.
"Some people like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare took the initiative. These people might have decided something," he said.
The veteran leader further claimed that it was his late nephew Ajit Pawar's wish to unite both factions, and that they were optimistic about it.
"Now we feel his wish should be fulfilled. Ajit Pawar, Shashikant Shinde and Jayant Patil had initiated the talks about the merger of the two factions. Even the merger date had been fixed - it was scheduled on the 12th (February). Unfortunately, Ajit left us before that," he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
