Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar reached Mumbai early Saturday (January 31, 2026), ahead of her expected swearing-in as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister. She is set to take over the post vacated after the death of her husband, Ajit Pawar, in a fatal plane crash earlier this week.
As per a report by the Hindu, Ms Pawar reached the official residence of her late husband, Devgiri, in south Mumbai early Saturday morning, accompanied by her son Parth. Later in the day, the legislature wing of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is scheduled to meet at Vidhan Bhavan at 2 pm, where she will be unanimously elected as the leader of the legislature wing. A low-key swearing-in ceremony is also planned at Lok Bhavan at 5 pm.
NCP legislature party backing
Senior NCP leaders said there was consensus within the party on her appointment. “There is no question of any other name. We are all unanimous that Sunetra Pawar will have to keep aside her grief and accept the position of Legislature Party leader. We will inform the Chief Minister thereafter. And the swearing-in ceremony for the position of the Deputy Chief Minister will take place,” senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal told The Hindu.
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NCP state president Sunil Tatkare confirmed, “We have called a meeting of our legislature party leaders tomorrow at 2 p.m. We expect that she will remain present. We are going to speak with Sunetra Vahini tonight. She has been busy with the religious rituals so far.”
The NCP has 40 members in the Maharashtra Assembly, and all of them are expected to support this move
Government support, differing views
Ms Pawar, 62, is currently a Rajya Sabha member and does not hold a seat in either house of the Maharashtra legislature. As per a report by The Hindu, it is being speculated that it is being discussed whether her son Parth Pawar may replace her in the Upper House. These developments come in the immediate aftermath of Ajit Pawar’s death in a fatal plane crash in Pune district’s Baramati on Wednesday.
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Her political profile rose during the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when she contested from Baramati on an NCP ticket against her sister-in-law, Supriya Sule of the NCP (SP). She was defeated but later elected to the Rajya Sabha.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said his BJP-led government would support the NCP’s decision. “The NCP will take whatever decision it has to take for the post of deputy chief minister, and we will support the decision. We are standing behind the family of Ajit Dada and the NCP.”
Meanwhile, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said he was not aware of the details of Ms. Pawar’s appointment, calling it a decision of her party. It is the decision of her party. I have no clarity on the reasons behind the hasty appointment.”
