Sunetra Pawar, Maharashtra’s 1st Woman Deputy Chief Minister,

Sunetra Pawar, the wife of Nationalist Congress Party leader Ajit Pawar, took oath as Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister today, days after her husband and four others died in a plane crash in Baramati. She has been given charge of excise duty, sports and youth welfare, and minorities development. Finance and planning, the portfolios handled by her husband, will be handled by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Sunetra Pawar, 62, was unanimously elected as the NCP Legislature Party leader earlier today. Her name was proposed by party leader Chhagan Bhujbal and seconded by Dilip Patil and a host of other MLAs. A letter informing of this decision was sent to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who then forwarded it to Governor Acharya Devvrat.

Soon after she took oath, Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave his best wishes to her. (UPDATED ON 31ST JANUARY 2026)