Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar's Wife, Takes Oath As Maharashtra Deputy CM

Updated: Saturday, January 31, 2026, 17:13 [IST]

Mumbai, January 31, 2026: Sunetra Pawar was formally sworn in as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister on Friday evening, making history as the State's first woman to hold the post. Her elevation comes just four days after the tragic death of her brother, Ajit Pawar, who served as Deputy Chief Minister and NCP supremo, in a plane crash near Baramati.

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) moved swiftly to fill the leadership vacuum. At a meeting of the NCP Legislature Party held inside Vidhan Bhavan at 2 p.m., Sunetra Pawar was elected unanimously as party leader, with senior leaders Dilip Walse Patil and Chhagan Bhujbal proposing and seconding her name. The decision cleared the path for her oath-taking ceremony at Raj Bhavan, administered by Governor Acharya Devvrat at 5 p.m.

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Sunetra Pawar is set to become Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister on January 31, 2026, after being chosen as the Nationalist Congress Party's Legislature Party leader in Mumbai, following Ajit Pawar's death. The oath ceremony, scheduled for Raj Bhavan, faced scrutiny amidst discussions regarding a potential merger with NCP (SP), alongside reports of political instability and shifts within the Mahayuti alliance.

Despite not being a member of the State legislature, Sunetra Pawar, a sitting Rajya Sabha MP, was constitutionally eligible for the post. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis welcomed the move, stating that the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance would support the decision taken by the Pawar family and NCP leadership.

Sunetra Pawar arrived in Mumbai on the morning of January 31, ahead of the Legislature Party meeting. Before the session, she met NCP working president Praful Patel and Maharashtra NCP president Sunil Tatkare at her brother Ajit Pawar's official residence. Discussions focused on the political transition and leadership changes within the party following the tragic loss.

The swearing-in ceremony was a low-key affair, reflecting both the political significance and the ongoing mourning in the Pawar family. In Baramati, thousands of people continued to visit the Pawar residence to pay respects after Ajit Pawar's cremation. Reports described Sunetra Pawar receiving condolences while preparing to take on her new political role.

Political analysts note that Ajit Pawar's sudden demise could reshape Maharashtra's political landscape, potentially transforming the three-way Mahayuti alliance into a more two-pole arrangement, with Eknath Shinde emerging as a dominant regional force.

With her oath completed, Sunetra Pawar now occupies a central position in Maharashtra's power structure, marking a historic moment for both the NCP and the State.