Sunetra Pawar Sworn In As Maharashtra's First Woman Deputy Chief Minister

In a historic move for Maharashtra politics, Sunetra Pawar has taken oath as the state's first woman Deputy Chief Minister. The elevation follows the tragic demise of NCP leader Ajit Pawar in a recent plane crash. During the transition, party leaders and close aides rallied behind her, with the speaker noting, 'Sunetra Pawar, widow of the late Ajit Pawar, has taken oath as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, making history as the first woman to hold the post.' The report highlights her background as the daughter of Padam Singh Patil and her previous role as a Rajya Sabha MP. Despite her 2024 electoral loss in Baramati to Supriya Sule, she now steps into a central leadership role within the Mahayuti Coalition. The programme examines whether she can maintain control over the party and the Pawar family legacy during this period of intense political churn and emotional transition for the state of Maharashtra.