Sunetra Pawar Elected NCP Legislature Party Leader Unanimously Ahead Of Oath As Deputy Chief Minister
Sunetra Pawar Elected NCP Legislature Party Leader Unanimously Ahead Of Oath As Deputy Chief Minister
Mumbai, January 31, 2026: Amid fast-moving political developments following the untimely demise of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Friday unanimously elected Sunetra Pawar as its legislature party leader. Her selection clears the way for her to assume the post of Deputy Chief Minister later this evening.
The decision was taken at a meeting of NCP legislators held at the Vidhan Bhavan at 2:00 PM, as scheduled. The proposal to appoint Sunetra Pawar as group leader was moved by senior leader Dilip Walse Patil and seconded by veteran NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal. The resolution was passed unanimously.
Following her formal election as legislature party leader, Sunetra Pawar is scheduled to take the oath of office at 5:00 PM today at Raj Bhavan. The oath-taking ceremony will be a brief and low-key affair, lasting around 10 to 15 minutes. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde are expected to be present.
Sunetra Pawar had travelled from Baramati to Mumbai late on Thursday night ahead of the crucial meeting. Since Friday morning, she has been holding discussions with senior party leaders at Devgiri Bungalow, seeking their views and guidance before the legislature party meeting.
Leaders Present at the Meeting
The meeting was attended by NCP national working president Praful Patel, state president Sunil Tatkare, senior leaders Chhagan Bhujbal, Dilip Walse Patil, Dhananjay Munde, women’s wing state president Rupali Chakankar, all NCP ministers, and the party’s MLAs and MLCs. All legislators present expressed unanimous support for Sunetra Pawar’s leadership.
Political Background
Sunetra Pawar comes from a family with deep political roots. Her parental family, the Patil family, has long been influential in regional politics. She is daughter of ex minister Padamsinh Bajirao Patil.
With her unanimous election as legislature party leader and her imminent swearing-in, Sunetra Pawar is set to take on a new and significant political responsibility at a crucial moment for the party and the state.
