The NCP has elected Sunetra Pawar as the new legislative party leader. The party has already announced that Ajit Pawar’s wife and Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar will be the Deputy Chief Minister of the state.
Late Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar's wife and Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar at the State Legislative Assembly for the NCP legislative party meeting, in Mumbai on Saturday. (NCP/ANI Video Grab) National::NCP
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) today elected late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s wife and Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar as the leader of NCP Legislative Party, during a high-level meeting at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai.The meeting was attended by all its Maharashtra Legislative Assembly and Legislative Council representatives.
Sunetra will take oath as the Deputy CM of Maharashtra this evening.
Advertisement
#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: Late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s wife and Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar arrives at the State Legislative Assembly for the NCP legislative party meeting.
Advertisement
(Video: NCP) pic.twitter.com/Yc4sWJbSxW
— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2026
#WATCH | Mumbai, Maharashtra: NCP legislative party meeting underway at the State Legislative Assembly.
Late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar’s wife and Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar and others are present here.
(Video: NCP) pic.twitter.com/OlyS2rHMD5
— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2026
This legislature party meeting called by the Nationalist Congress Party Maharashtra Pradesh President, Sunil Tatkare was crucial as there are speculations about the possible merger of the two NCP factions. “We still feel that Dada (Ajit Pawar) is with us. It is very painful for us to come to this (party) office today in his absence. Beyond that, I have nothing else to say,” Tatkare said.
The party has already announced that Ajit Pawar’s wife and Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar will be the Deputy Chief Minister of the state. She will take oath as the new deputy CM later today day in a hurried swearing-in ceremony. Sunetra currently holds the post of Rajya Sabha MP.
Late night yesterday, Sunetra Pawar reached Devgiri Bungalow, the government residence allotted to Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, in Mumbai.
#WATCH | Mumbai | Sunetra Pawar, wife of Maharashtra Deputy CM late Ajit Pawar, reaches their Mumbai residence. pic.twitter.com/MJUlAMrasZ
— ANI (@ANI) January 30, 2026
NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar today confirmed that a process had begun for NCP-SCP and Ajit Pawar’s party (NCP) to work together, and a decision on this was to be taken soon; but then, this accident (Ajit Pawar’s death) occurred. Sharad Pawar also stated that Ajit Pawar was set to formally announce the reunion of the two NCP factions on 12 February.
Sharad Pawar clarified that discussions over the unification of two factions were held for four months. However, he mentioned that with the leader who initiated these talks no longer present, the process faces a significant challenge.
Also, one of the close associates of the Pawar family and a member of Vidya Prathistha, Kiran Gujar on Wednesday had revealed that NCP chief Ajit Pawar’s last wish was to bring together the two party factions.
Ahead of the NCP meeting at 2 pm today, a meeting was held earlier today at Govind Baug, the Pawar family residence in Baramati. Chatrapati MalojiRaje, son of Chatrapati Sahu Maharaj, and Pudhari Group Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, Padma Shri Dr. Pratapsingh Jadhav, met Sharad Pawar to offer their condolences after the demise of Ajit Pawar.
#WATCH | Baramati, Maharashtra: Prominent members of society met NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar today at his residence, following the death of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.
Chatrapati MalojiRaje, son of Chatrapati Sahu Maharaj, and Pudhari Group Chairman and Editor-in-Chief, Padma Shri Dr.… pic.twitter.com/mZgY9Pe3hO
— ANI (@ANI) January 31, 2026
While the party is in the middle of an unprecedented crisis, the Congress party has levelled allegations of a foul play in the plane crash, questioning the timing of the incident.
Congress leader Vijay Wadettiwar said, “What Rajesh Tope talked about, the two factions of the NCP coming together, is true. They had a meeting, and talks of unification were underway. Now, if Ajit Dada’s plane crashes at the same time, then this is a serious matter. Only a high-level investigation can clarify this.”
NCP and NCP (SCP) had fought the Municipal Corporation polls Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad as allies. Further alliance for the upcoming Zilla Parishad and Panchayat Samiti elections was in discussion. On a whole, it was being speculated before Ajit Pawar passed away that talks were on between the two factions for unification under one symbol.
State DCM Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in Baramati earlier this week.
Advertisement
