Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra poised to step in as Maharashtra Deputy CM

This comes days after the post fell vacant following the death of her husband and senior NCP leader Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati.

The NCP is scheduled to hold a legislative party meeting at the Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai at 2 pm on Saturday to finalise her name formally.

The oath-taking ceremony is expected to be held later in the evening.

If sworn in, Sunetra Pawar will become the first woman Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Although she is not currently a member of either House of the Maharashtra legislature, the Baramati Assembly seat in Pune district has fallen vacant following Ajit Pawar’s death earlier this week, opening the possibility for her induction into the state legislature.

The development comes hours after senior Maharashtra minister Chhagan Bhujbal indicated that Sunetra Pawar could assume the responsibilities left vacant by her late husband.

“Many people believe that Sunetra Pawar should be given this responsibility, and I don’t think that demand is unreasonable,” NDTV quoted Bhujbal as saying.