Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday extended his best wishes to Sunetra Pawar, who became the first woman deputy chief minister of Maharashtra. He expressed confidence that she would work tirelessly
for the welfare of the state’s people and carry forward the vision of late Ajit 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,” the prime minister said in a post on X.
“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,” he added.
Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Saturday said he was confident that Sunetra Pawar would carry forward the legacy of public welfare upheld by the late Ajit Pawar.
In a post on X, Shinde said that with Sunetra Pawar taking oath at Lok Bhavan, a woman had, for the first time, assumed the post of Deputy Chief Minister in Maharashtra. He added that she had accepted the responsibility in extremely challenging circumstances and expressed confidence in her ability to perform the role effectively.
📍 मुंबई |
दिवंगत नेते अजितदादा पवार यांच्या पत्नी श्रीमती सुनेत्राताई पवार यांनी आज लोकभवन येथे उपमुख्यमंत्रीपदाची शपथ घेतली. त्यांच्या रूपाने राज्यात पहिल्यांदाच एक महिला उपमुख्यमंत्रीपदी विराजमान झाली आहे. अत्यंत अवघड परिस्थितीत त्यांनी ही जबाबदारी स्वीकारली असली तरीही,… pic.twitter.com/wiK4oC2bQT
— Eknath Shinde – एकनाथ शिंदे (@mieknathshinde) January 31, 2026
Defence Minister Rajnath Singh extended warm wishes to Sunetra Pawar. Singh said he was confident that she would devote herself wholeheartedly to the welfare of the people of the state and carry forward the spirit of public service upheld by the late Ajit Pawar.
“Warm wishes to Smt. Sunetra Pawar ji as she takes oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. I am confident, she will devote herself wholeheartedly to the welfare of the people of Maharashtra and carry forward the spirit of public service upheld by late Shri Ajit Pawar,” he wrote on X.
Warm wishes to Smt. Sunetra Pawar ji as she takes oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. I am confident, she will devote herself wholeheartedly to the welfare of the people of Maharashtra and carry forward the spirit of public service upheld by late Shri Ajit Pawar.
— Rajnath Singh (@rajnathsingh) January 31, 2026
NCP (SP) Rohit Pawar took to X to express his delight at Sunetra Pawar taking oath as Maharashtra’s first female Deputy Chief Minister. In his post, he wrote that while no one can truly replace ‘Ajitdada Pawar’, in Sunetra Pawar, they can see a reflection of him.
“I am delighted that Hon. Sunetrabai has taken the oath as the state’s first female Deputy Chief Minister. Truth be told, no one can truly take Hon. Ajitdada’s place, but at least in the form of Sunetrabai, we can see Ajitdada there somehow..! With a mountain of grief weighing on our heads and all of us immersed in mourning, we don’t even know how to offer them congratulations,” he said.
राज्याच्या पहिल्या महिला उपमुख्यमंत्री म्हणून मा. सुनेत्राकाकी यांनी शपथ घेतली, याचा आनंद आहे.
खरं म्हणजे मा. अजितदादांची जागा कुणीच घेऊ शकत नाही पण किमान सुनेत्राकाकींच्या रुपात तरी आम्ही तिथं अजितदादांना पाहू..!
डोक्यावर डोंगराएवढं दुःख असताना आणि आम्ही सर्वजण शोकाकूल असताना… pic.twitter.com/Hon07ArlFL— Rohit Pawar (@RRPSpeaks) January 31, 2026
Meanwhile, Sunetra Pawar said she was “ready to serve” the state and vowed to carry forward the people-centric legacy of her late husband, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar.
In her first statement after taking oath, Sunetra Pawar said she accepted the responsibility with a deep sense of duty and commitment.
“Carrying forward the people-oriented legacy of respected Ajitdada, I am ready to serve Maharashtra with a sense of responsibility,” she said.
Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra after being unanimously elected as the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party’s legislature group.
The ceremony was attended by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde. However, no members of the extended Pawar family were present at the event.
