In a surprising turn of events, veteran politician Sharad Pawar has clarified that he was not consulted about Sunetra Pawar’s appointment as Maharashtra’s Deputy Chief Minister.
Pawar revealed that the decision was taken by senior leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), including Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, without his knowledge.
The development comes amid ongoing uncertainty within the NCP following the tragic death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash at Baramati airport. Ajit Pawar, who had spearheaded the NCP’s alliance with the BJP-led Mahayuti in July 2023, was instrumental in merger talks between the two NCP factions. Those talks have now stalled.
Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis expressed solidarity with the Pawar family, stating that the Mahayuti alliance would support the NCP’s internal decision-making. Sunetra Pawar, meanwhile, is expected to be elected leader of the NCP legislature wing in Mumbai before formally taking oath as Deputy CM, despite not being a legislator herself.
The move has sparked speculation about the future of Maharashtra’s coalition politics, with Sharad Pawar’s distancing raising questions about the balance of power within the NCP and its relationship with the BJP.
