Sunetra Pawar Sworn In as Deputy CM After Mourning Period; Questions Raised Over NCP’s Hasty Move

Mumbai/Pune, Jan 31:Within hours of the state mourning period ending following the death of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) moved swiftly to appoint his wife Sunetra Pawar as the new Deputy Chief Minister, triggering intense political debate over the urgency and strategy behind the decision.

Ajit Pawar died in a tragic plane crash near Baramati on the morning of January 28. A three-day state mourning was observed till January 30, during which official programmes were suspended. He was cremated with full state honours on January 29 in the presence of thousands of supporters.

However, even as the state mourned, political developments within the NCP moved at a rapid pace. On January 31, the NCP Legislature Party met in Mumbai and unanimously elected Sunetra Pawar as its leader, paving the way for her swearing-in as Deputy Chief Minister.

Sharad Pawar Kept Out of Key Decisions

Senior NCP leader Sharad Pawar, who was in Baramati, later claimed that crucial decisions taken in Mumbai were made without consulting him. Addressing a press conference, Sharad Pawar said that a proposed merger of the two NCP factions scheduled for February 12 now appears uncertain.

He openly indicated that the rapid developments suggested that Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare were calling the shots, along with leaders such as Chhagan Bhujbal. “The way events unfolded, it seems decisions were taken independently,” Pawar said.

Family Meeting Skipped, Strategy Accelerated

Sources said Sharad Pawar had convened a family and party meeting on Friday evening to discuss party unity, leadership and representation in the government. However, Sunetra Pawar and her sons did not attend the meeting and instead travelled to Mumbai early Saturday.

By afternoon, the Legislature Party meeting was held and the leadership change was formalised, effectively putting an end to speculation about a party merger in the immediate future.

Emotional Pitch vs Power Consolidation

In the days following Ajit Pawar’s death, leaders from the Sharad Pawar faction—including Jayant Patil, Rohit Pawar, Harshvardhan Patil and Eknath Khadse—publicly pitched for an NCP reunification, describing it as Ajit Pawar’s “last wish”.

However, NCP state president Sunil Tatkare rejected these claims, after which leaders loyal to Ajit Pawar moved quickly to consolidate organisational and legislative control.

Ajit Pawar Faction Strengthens Grip

With Sunetra Pawar as Deputy CM, Praful Patel as Working President, and Sunil Tatkare as State President, the Ajit Pawar faction has secured control over the party’s three key power centres—organisation, legislature and government.

The group currently commands the support of 41 MLAs and one MP, and holds nine ministerial berths in the Maharashtra government. Plans are also underway to send Parth Pawar to the Rajya Sabha, further strengthening the faction’s national footprint.

Political observers say the swift appointment of Sunetra Pawar reflects a deliberate strategy to stabilise power, counter merger pressure, and secure Ajit Pawar’s political legacy within the NCP.