Key Points:
Sunetra Pawar is set to be elected as Maharashtra's first female deputy chief minister after the sudden death of Ajit pawar.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will hold a legislature party meeting on January 31, 2026, at 2 pm.
NCP member Chhagan Bhujbal told reporters that CM Devendra Fadnavis has reportedly said he has no issue with Sunetra Pawar’s oath-taking ceremony.
Following the tragic death of Maharashtra’s longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister, Ajit Pawar, the process to choose his successor has been set in motion. Maharashtra is set to have its first woman Deputy Chief Minister in the state’s history—Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Ajit Pawar.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) will hold a legislature party meeting on January 31, 2026, at 2 pm to elect Ajit Pawar’s widow as the new legislative party leader and Deputy Chief Minister.
The decision to pass on the mantle comes just days after the Baramati plane crash that killed five passengers, including former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The shocking accident occurred on January 28, 2026. According to Hindustan Times, NCP leaders aware of the developments have indicated that Sunetra Pawar will take the oath of office and be sworn in at Lok Bhavan.
See Also: CM Mamta Calls Ajit Pawar’s Death Suspicious, Says Only Supreme Court Probe Will Bring Out the Truth
The NCP has decided to hold the legislature party meeting on January 31 after Sunetra Pawar gave her nod to accept the new responsibility. She is currently a member of the Rajya Sabha and is set to reshape the political landscape of the NCP.
According to an IANS report, after her formal election, state NCP chief Sunil Tatkare will write to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, urging him to induct her into the state cabinet as Deputy Chief Minister. Tatkare has also sent letters to all party legislators, including 40 MLAs and nine MLCs, requesting them to attend the legislative party meeting at Vidhan Bhavan on January 31, 2026.
NCP member Chhagan Bhujbal told reporters outside the NCP office that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has reportedly said he has no issue with Sunetra Pawar’s oath-taking ceremony. A high-level NCP delegation meeting took place on January 30, 2026, to discuss the appointment of the next legislative party leader following the untimely passing of Ajit Pawar.
The delegation included party working president Praful Patel, state unit chief Sunil Tatkare, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal and Hasan Mushrif, and former minister Dhananjay Munde. Amid the shifting political landscape, former Maharashtra Chief Minister Sharad Pawar said he was not aware of his nephew’s widow taking charge as Deputy Chief Minister.
He said, “I have no information about it. Her party must have decided…” He further added that he had no role in the decision and had no information about it.
The NCP split into two factions in 2023 after Ajit Pawar persuaded more than 40 of the party’s 54 MLAs to join the BJP-led Mahayuti government. Sharad Pawar named the other faction the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharadchandra Pawar). Discussions regarding a potential merger have been ongoing for the past few months.
Late Ajit Pawar was born on July 22, 1959, and began his political journey with the Indian National Congress (INC). According to The Hindu, he was influenced by his uncle Sharad Pawar and became a Cabinet Minister in the NCP–INC coalition government in 1999. He continued his political career for several decades until his passing in the Baramati plane crash in 2026.
Inputs from IANS
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