The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) senior leaders announced Sunetra Pawar will take her oath as Maharashtra’s first female Deputy Chief Minister during the Saturday evening event. The position will pass to her because her husband Ajit Pawar died two days ago in a plane crash.

Sunetra Pawar who is 62 years old will become the NCP’s new leader in the Rajya Sabha after she failed to win the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. The oath-taking ceremony will occur at 5 pm in Lok Bhavan at Mumbai with only a few people expected to attend.

The NCP party sources report that 40 legislators from the party will gather at Vidhan Bhavan. Sunetra Pawar will make history as the state’s first female Deputy Chief Minister after she takes office.

Chhagan Bhujbal who serves as a senior NCP leader and minister confirmed that Sunetra Pawar received unanimous support from the party members. “All of us want Sunetra vahini to lead the legislative unit. After speaking with the Chief Minister about his availability, it was decided that the swearing-in could take place today itself,” he said.

Backing her appointment, senior minister Manikrao Kokate said there was no doubt about her leadership. “She will lead the legislative party, and we will authorise her to take decisions on our behalf,” he said.

State NCP chief Sunil Tatkare said the party’s legislators, parliamentarians and senior leaders would gather at Vidhan Bhavan to complete the formal process. He added that Sunetra Pawar will join the meeting after she finishes her family duties.

The Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis declared that the government would support the NCP decision through complete government backing.“The decision regarding the Deputy CM post will be taken by the NCP. We stand with the party and the Pawar family during this difficult time,” he said.

The situation regarding Sunetra Pawar acquiring the important responsibilities which Ajit Pawar currently holds remains uncertain. She needs to become a member of the Maharashtra legislature through either a by-election or a Legislative Council nomination because she currently lacks any legislative position. The Baramati assembly constituency will hold its next bypoll within six months.

Party insiders said Sunetra Pawar agreed to accept the post after consultations with senior leaders, following which Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and Chhagan Bhujbal conveyed the decision to the Chief Minister. There is reportedly no opposition within the party to her elevation.

The swearing-in is expected to take place even before a proposed Pawar family meeting to discuss a possible merger of the two NCP factions. The party leadership has been conducting merger negotiations while they plan to reach a decision about joining forces and assigning leadership positions after two weeks.

A business jet crashed near Baramati airstrip on Wednesday killing Ajit Pawar who was 66 years old and four other passengers. His death has marked the end of an era in Maharashtra politics. His last rites were performed on Friday, with family members, including Sunetra Pawar and sons Parth and Jay, present.