Maharashtra’s political circles are abuzz following the tragic death of Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, with whispers growing louder that his wife, Sunetra Pawar, might step into his shoes. As a Rajya Sabha MP, Sunetra is being positioned as the frontrunner to lead the NCP faction and assume the Deputy CM mantle, amid a key party meeting underway.
BJP’s Yogendra Chandeliya pointed to public mood favoring Sunetra’s elevation, underscoring it’s purely a party call on legislative leadership. Bihar’s Mohammad Jama Khan approved of the buzz, deeming it a fitting choice. Inside NCP, Anil Bhaidas Patil revealed the party’s delicate mission to persuade a grieving Sunetra. ‘We’ve completed formalities and continue our efforts to convince her. MLAs will decide the group leader,’ he explained.
Support poured in from Shiv Sena’s Shaina NC, who congratulated the woman leader set to uphold her husband’s legacy. Contrastingly, Sanjay Raut of Shiv Sena (UBT) poured cold water, asserting no solid information exists beyond a handful of insiders like Amit Shah or Devendra Fadnavis. ‘The state is still mourning; nothing is clear yet,’ Raut observed.
Ambadas Danve of Shiv Sena (UBT) shrugged off the developments as internal affairs, neither faulting the party nor the government. This leadership vacuum post-Ajit Pawar tests NCP’s resilience, as allies and opponents alike watch closely. The Saturday meeting could prove decisive, potentially reshaping Maharashtra’s power dynamics with Sunetra Pawar emerging as a key player.