NCP May Appoint Sunetra Pawar as National President After Ajit Pawar’s Demise

This comes after Ajit Pawar, the NCP’s national president and Maharashtra deputy chief minister, sadly died. On January 28, the 66-year-old leader, who was from his hometown of Baramati, died in a plane crash, adding to confusion about the party’s future leadership and strategic direction.

NCP leaders back Sunetra Pawar

Since Ajit Pawar’s unexpected death, prominent leaders of the NCP have rallied behind Sunetra Pawar as their replacement, urging her to be the party’s national chief. A consensus is emerging within the organisation that she should be at the top.

Demonstrating unity, more than 30 senior NCP office-bearers have been writing together to both the National Working President Praful Patel and to NCP president Sunil Tatkare in Maharashtra, calling for Sunetra Pawar to take up the party’s top organisational role.

The move is a pivotal moment for the NCP, which is now stabilising its leadership and consolidating its organisational base across states with the recent political events.

Sunetra Pawar is sworn in as deputy CM

In the company of Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, Sunetra Pawar, 62, was sworn in as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra at Lok Bhavan, Mumbai, on Saturday. The oath was taken by Governor Acharya Devvrat.

She has been assigned three important portfolios under her watch: excise, sports and youth welfare, and welfare and minorities development — the former Ajit Pawar's departments.

Ajit Pawar died in an air crash in Baramati on January 28, while serving as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra.