Sunetra had previously kept a low profile until her 2024 Lok Sabha debut in Baramati against Supriya Sule.

Continuing the Legacy: Sunetra Pawar Takes Oath as Maharashtra’s First Woman Dy CM

Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as the state’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday evening. The 62-year-old leader took the oath of office at 5:00 PM at Lok Bhavan, succeeding her husband, NCP chief Ajit Pawar, who tragically died in an air crash on Wednesday.

Earlier in the afternoon, Sunetra Pawar was unanimously elected as the leader of the NCP legislature party during a meeting at Vidhan Bhavan. Her name was proposed by senior leader Dilip Walse Patil and seconded by Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal.

The party submitted a formal letter to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who forwarded it to Governor Acharya Devvrat for the swearing-in. Sunetra had previously kept a low profile until her 2024 Lok Sabha debut in Baramati against Supriya Sule.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi extended his best wishes on X and expressed confidence in her tenure, stating she would work tirelessly for the state and fulfil the vision of the late "Ajitdada" Pawar. Having officially stepped into the role previously held by her husband, Sunetra begins her tenure as Maharashtra's first woman deputy CM to hold this significant responsibility.

Source: The Tribune