Mumbai, January 31 (NationPress) Sunetra Pawar, the spouse of former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, was officially sworn in as Maharashtra’s first female Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday, shortly after the tragic passing of her husband in a plane accident. The oath of office and secrecy was administered by Governor Acharya Devvrat during a modest ceremony at Lok Bhavan, reflecting the somber circumstances surrounding the event. In attendance were Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy CM Eknath Shinde, along with various ministers and legislators.

Following the oath ceremony, supporters of Ajit Pawar chanted slogans in his honor, expressing their solidarity. Earlier, Sunetra was unanimously chosen as the leader of the NCP Legislature Party, with her nomination put forward by seasoned party member Chhagan Bhujbal and supported by Dilip Walse Patil among others. This meeting took place after she, still grappling with the shock of her husband's unexpected demise in Baramati, agreed to assume the leadership role.

State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare subsequently informed Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis about Sunetra Pawar's unanimous election as the legislature party leader, leading to her inclusion in the Council of Ministers. On Friday, Tatkare had sent a letter to all party legislators, urging their presence at the meeting at Vidhan Bhavan.

That same day, a high-ranking NCP delegation met with Fadnavis to address various matters, including the appointment of the legislative party leader and deputy chief minister following Ajit Pawar’s sudden passing. Included in this delegation were prominent figures such as Praful Patel and Dhananjay Munde. This development came amidst a noticeable leadership void within both the NCP and the MahaYuti government.

Meanwhile, Sharad Pawar, the NCP chief, clarified that he was not consulted about Sunetra Pawar’s rise to the position of Deputy Chief Minister, stating, “I was unaware of the ceremony until I saw it on the news.”

Regarding the potential merger of the two factions within the NCP, he confirmed that discussions had been progressing positively, with an announcement expected on February 12. After his revelation that he had not been involved in discussions about Sunetra Pawar’s leadership role, Parth Pawar and NCP(SP) legislator Rohit Pawar met with Sharad Pawar to update him.

Sharad Pawar indicated that although he was not part of the negotiations, they were led by Ajit Pawar, who had hoped for a unification of the two factions. He acknowledged that the unexpected passing of Ajit Pawar has disrupted these discussions, and the path forward will depend on the leadership of both factions.

He emphasized the clarity of the discussions held over the past four months aimed at reunification. However, with the key figure in those talks now absent, the process is significantly challenged. “We cannot revive the one who is lost. The current situation poses challenges, and someone must step up to fill Ajit Pawar’s role,” he concluded.

When questioned about Sunetra Pawar's appointment, Sharad Pawar distanced himself from the decision-making process, stating, “The NCP is theirs to manage. Leaders like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare have the authority for these decisions. Our political trajectories are distinct. While the family is united in grief, the realm of politics remains separate.”

In a tribute to Ajit Pawar, Sharad Pawar hailed him as an indefatigable and capable leader deeply connected to the populace, noting, “He commenced his work at dawn each day. Had he been here now, he wouldn’t be at home but actively engaged in the field,” describing the loss as a significant blow to both the family and the state.