Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders on Saturday raised slogans of “Ajit dada amar rahe” as Sunetra Pawar, leader of the NCP legislative party and wife of late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, took
oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra at Lok Bhavan.
The emotional scenes unfolded during the swearing-in ceremony, with party leaders and workers paying tribute to Ajit Pawar while welcoming Sunetra Pawar into her new role.
#WATCH | Mumbai: NCP leaders chant ‘Ajit dada amar rahe’ as Sunetra Pawar, leader of the NCP legislative party and wife of late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, takes oath as Deputy CM of Maharashtra at the Lok Bhavan pic.twitter.com/RU1cUXTbld
— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2026
The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Lok Bhavan and was administered by the Governor.
Sunetra Pawar is presently a Rajya Sabha MP and is not a member of either House of the Maharashtra legislature. However, the Baramati Assembly seat in Pune district has become vacant following Ajit Pawar’s death in the plane crash on Wednesday, opening the door for a possible political transition in the constituency.
Apart from taking the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister’s office, Sunetra Pawar will continue to hold the Excise and Sports portfolios in the state government.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi congratulated Sunetra Pawar as she began her tenure as the Deputy CM, becoming the first woman to hold the position. He expressed confidence that she would work tirelessly for the welfare of the state’s people and carry forward the vision of the late Ajitdada Pawar.
“Best wishes to Sunetra Pawar Ji as she begins her tenure as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, the first woman to hold this responsibility. I am confident she will work tirelessly for the welfare of the people of the state and fulfil the vision of the late Ajitdada Pawar,” PM Modi posted on X.
