Mumbai, Jan 31 (UNI) Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday, January 31, 2026, marking a historic moment in the state’s political history.
Her elevation to the high office came after the death of her husband, Nationalist Congress Party leader and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and is being viewed as an effort to ensure continuity of political leadership drawing on the Pawar family legacy, at a time when the Nationalist Congress Party is navigating a period of transition following her husband’s death.
The oath of office and secrecy was administered by the Governor at a small ceremony held here at Raj Bhavan.
Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash near Baramati on January 28, 2026. Following his untimely death, the Nationalist Congress Party unanimously elected Sunetra Pawar as its legislative group leader.
The proposal for her election was moved by Dilip Valse-Patil and seconded by Chhagan Bhujbal, clearing the way for her induction into the state cabinet.
The oath-taking ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, and senior leaders from both the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Nationalist Congress Party.
After the ceremony, NCP leaders raised slogans hailing Ajit Pawar, reflecting the emotional atmosphere surrounding the event.
Sunetra Pawar, who is a Rajya Sabha Member of Parliament from Maharashtra, is widely known across the state as “Sunetra Vahini” or “Didi”. She has two sons, Parth Pawar and Jay Pawar.
Her swearing-in comes amid significant political realignments within the NCP following Ajit Pawar’s death.
Born on October 18, 1963, in Dharashiv district of Maharashtra, Sunetra Pawar comes from a family steeped in politics. Her father, Bajirao Patil, was a local leader, and her half-brother Padamsinh Bajirao Patil served as a minister and Member of Parliament. She holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from SBES College of Arts and Commerce, Aurangabad.
Sunetra married Ajit Pawar on December 30, 1985, in a marriage which brought two influential political families together.
She entered electoral politics in recent years and contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Baramati on a Bharatiya Janata Party symbol as part of the Mahayuti alliance, but lost to Supriya Sule of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar faction).
She was later elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha in 2024 as a member of the Ajit Pawar-led NCP faction, following the resignation of Praful Patel.
Apart from politics, Sunetra Pawar has been active in social and professional fields. She founded the Environmental Forum of India in 2010, focusing on organic farming and environmental conservation, and has received awards including the Green Warrior Award, Jeevan Gaurav Award (2023), and Rashtramata Jijau Award (2024).
She has also served as chairperson of Baramati Hi-Tech Textile Park Limited since 2006, is a trustee of Vidya Pratishthan, and has been a Senate member of Savitribai Phule Pune University since 2017.
