Maharashtra

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has dismissed claims by leaders of Sharad Pawar’s faction regarding a planned merger with Ajit Pawar’s group in the NCP. Fadnavis stated that the late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar never discussed any merger with him, adding that if the talks had reached a final stage, Ajit would have shared it. “The NCP is an independent party, but as an NDA ally, it is expected to consult us before taking any major decisions,” Fadnavis said. He emphasized that Ajit Pawar always shared relevant information with him and would not have kept such a significant matter hidden. Fadnavis also expressed that he has no knowledge of Ajit Pawar’s conversations with Sharad Pawar or the reported merger announcement scheduled for 12 February. Setting a condition for any...

Mumbai: The political rivalry in Navi Mumbai has intensified as the BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena announced their candidates for the Mayor and Deputy Mayor posts following the municipal election results. The BJP kept its nomination process confidential, with senior party leader and former minister Ganesh Naik declaring the candidates: Sujata Suraj Patil for Mayor and Dashrath Sitaram Bhagat for Deputy Mayor. On the other side, Shinde’s Shiv Sena nominated Saroj Rohidas Patil as Mayor and Akash Madhvi as Deputy Mayor. The election for both positions will now be held on 5 February. In the Navi Mumbai Municipal Corporation elections, the BJP won 65 of the 111 seats, while Shinde’s Shiv Sena secured 42 seats. Despite BJP’s clear majority, expectations had been that the party might...

Mumbai: Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has decided not to participate in campaigning for the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections, following the tragic death of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Fadnavis informed local leaders and party officials that while he will abstain from election rallies, they are expected to carry out campaign activities for the elections scheduled on 7 February 2026. Originally, Fadnavis was slated to address 22 election meetings in seven days, but in light of the three-day state mourning declared after Ajit Pawar’s death in Baramati on 28 January, he chose to refrain from public campaigning. Revised Election ScheduleThe State Election Commission amended the schedule: voting, initially set for 5 Februar...

Mumbai: Following the tragic demise of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, his wife Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as Maharashtra’s 11th Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday, becoming the first woman to hold the post. While she has been assigned key portfolios—including Excise, Sports, Minority Development, and Wakf—questions have emerged about whether the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will receive the Finance Ministry, previously held by Ajit Pawar. Reacting to this, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis clarified that he has retained the Finance and Planning Departments for himself. “Presently, the budget preparation is under way. It is not just a speech; it involves multiple departmental meetings. It was not feasible to hand such a significant responsibility to Sunetra Pawar immediately,” he said. Fadnavis...

Mumbai: Maharashtra’s political landscape is in flux following the tragic death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. While it was initially expected that the Pawar family and both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) would unite in grief, divisions appear to be resurfacing. Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, has assumed his Deputy Chief Minister responsibilities, but the real power struggle is far from over. Leaders of Ajit Pawar’s faction, including Sunil Tatkare, have set conditions that make a merger of the two NCP factions challenging. Tatkare emphasized that the NCP is aligned with the NDA, welcoming anyone willing to join the coalition. Meanwhile, Sunetra Pawar has resigned from the Rajya Sabha, opening the stage for discussions about succession. Aji...

Mumbai, Jan 31:The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a constituent of the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra, on Saturday formally submitted a letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding the election of Sunetra Pawar, wife of the late Ajit Pawar, as the party’s legislature party leader. Sunetra Pawar is set to be sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, succeeding her husband, who died in a plane crash on Wednesday. Senior NCP leaders, including Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, and Chhagan Bhujbal, met CM Fadnavis at his official residence ‘Varsha’ in South Mumbai to hand over the letter. The Chief Minister will forward it to Governor Acharya Devvrat for further action. Sunetra Pawar was elected NCP legislature party leader during a meeting held in Mumbai on Satu...