NCP (SP) President Sharad Pawar on Saturday broke silence on reports that Sunetra Pawar, wife of late Ajit Pawar, is set to be sworn in as Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister today. He said he was not aware of any such development and had learned about it only through media reports.
Addressing a press conference in Baramati, the veteran leader said he had no information regarding the proposed swearing-in ceremony.
"We don't know about the swearing-in. We got to know about it through the news. I have no idea about the swearing-in," he said, when asked whether any member of the Pawar family would attend the ceremony.
He added that the decision must have been taken by the Nationalist Congress Party. "Some people like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare took the initiative. These people might have decided something," Pawar said.
VIDEO | As Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar is likely to be sworn in as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister, replacing her late husband and NCP chief Ajit Pawar in the state cabinet, NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar said, "...The party must have decided it."
— Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 31, 2026
(Full video available on PTI… pic.twitter.com/gEVKA2dnot
Sharad Pawar further said it was his late nephew Ajit Pawar’s wish that both factions of the party come together, and expressed optimism that the process would move forward.
"Now we feel his wish should be fulfilled. Ajit Pawar, Shashikant Shinde and Jayant Patil had initiated the talks about the merger of the two factions. Even the merger date had been fixed, it was scheduled on the 12th (February). Unfortunately, Ajit left us before that," he said.
According to PTI, sources in the NCP had said on Friday that the Rajya Sabha MP was likely to take oath as deputy chief minister on Saturday, replacing her late husband in the cabinet.
Following the death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in the January 28 air crash in Baramati, a section of NCP leaders had demanded that Sunetra Pawar be appointed to the post held by her husband in the Devendra Fadnavis-led government.
