‘Will Carry Forward Ajit Pawar’s Vision’: PM Modi Backs Sunetra Pawar After Oath as Deputy CM

Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister at Raj Bhavan in Mumbai on January 31, becoming the first woman to hold the post. The oath came just days after Ajit Pawar died in a tragic plane crash near Baramati, leaving the key position vacant.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi later posted on X, extending wishes to Sunetra Pawar and calling her elevation an important moment in Maharashtra's political journey. Modi expressed confidence that she would focus on public welfare and continue the vision associated with the late Ajit Pawar.

Sunetra Pawar and the shifting political landscape in Maharashtra

Ajit Pawar had been serving as Deputy Chief Minister when the plane crash occurred, and the loss created a political and emotional gap across the State. Ajit Pawar was known as a towering presence in Maharashtra politics and a central figure within the Nationalist Congress Party, or NCP.

To contain uncertainty, the NCP acted quickly and unanimously chose Sunetra Pawar as its Legislature Party leader before her entry into the Cabinet. Her appointment to the Deputy Chief Minister's chair came amid a delicate power-sharing arrangement within the BJP-led Mahayuti alliance, where every shift is being watched by political analysts.

Sunetra Pawar and the path from Baramati to state leadership

Before these rapid changes, Sunetra Pawar was mostly recognised for low-profile social work in Baramati. Active politics began only in the last two years, when Sunetra Pawar contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections and later entered Parliament as a Rajya Sabha MP, signalling a swift rise.

Her move from grassroots initiatives to Maharashtra's second-highest executive office marks a sharp political transition. This change unfolds while the Mahayuti coalition, led by the BJP, seeks to project unity and stability, even as power equations adjust following Ajit Pawar's sudden absence from the State government.

Ajit Pawar's death continues to cast a shadow over Maharashtra's political scene, yet Sunetra Pawar's induction, combined with Narendra Modi's public backing, signals an attempt to maintain continuity. The ruling alliance is presenting her leadership as a way to steady governance during a time of mourning and ongoing uncertainty.