Sunetra Pawar, the spouse of deceased NCP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, will become the first woman Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. The Rajya Sabha MP will take over her late husband’s position after the party’s Legislature Party meeting which is scheduled to begin on Saturday, January 31, 2026 at 2 p.m.

Chhagan Bhujbal, a senior NCP leader, announced that the party members reached a complete agreement to support Sunetra Pawar for her new position. The meeting will proceed to its next step by carrying out a brief swearing-in ceremony after finishing its current activities. Sunil Tatkare, the NCP State President, informed that Sunetra Pawar dedicated her time to performing religious activities while she plans to join the Legislature Party meeting.

The BJP-led government will provide complete assistance to the NCP decision-making process according to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis statement. NCP leaders Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal, and Dhananjay Munde met Fadnavis on Friday to explain their preferred leader for the transition which public opinion and party members support as Sunetra Pawar.

Parth Pawar, the elder son of Ajit Pawar, will follow his mother into the Rajya Sabha seat which will maintain the Pawar family political tradition.

Reunification of NCP Factions Not a Priority
Despite speculation about reunification with the NCP-SP faction led by Sharad Pawar, senior leaders including Bhujbal stressed that appointing a Legislature Party leader is the party’s immediate priority. Some NCP-SP leaders, including Ankush Kakde, expressed a desire for reunification because they believed Ajit Pawar wanted to reunite with the party. Sources indicated that leadership appointments need to be established before any merger talks can begin with the BJP. The top brass articulated that the particular faction that supported Ajit Pawar post-2023 will continue to enjoy the prerogative of independent choice.

Key Takeaways:

• Sunetra Pawar to become Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy CM.
• NCP Legislature Party meeting at 2 p.m., swearing-in likely afterward.
• BJP-led government supports NCP decision.
• Parth Pawar likely to replace mother in Rajya Sabha.
• Reunification with NCP-SP not currently a priority.

The installation of Sharad Pawar as the Chief Minister is historical and, therefore, an event of great political importance in Maharashtra, with the Pawar family continuing to wield power in the affairs of the state.