Sunetra Pawar takes charge as Deputy CM

MUMBAI: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar on Tuesday assumed her ministerial duties at the state secretariat, 13 days after the death of her husband and Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, and attended her maiden cabinet meeting.

She arrived in Mumbai from Pune earlier in the day and offered prayers at the famous Siddhivinayak temple and the memorial of BR Ambedkar at Chaityabhoomi in the Dadar area.

Accompanied by her elder son, Parth Pawar, she visited the NCP office and met party MLAs and ministers before heading to Mantralaya.

Besides Parth, senior Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal and Dhananjay Munde, accompanied Sunetra to the Deputy CM’s office in Mantralaya.

The Deputy CM later attended her first cabinet meeting, chaired by Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Expressing her feelings after assuming the charge, Sunetra Pawar on a X post stated that she felt a deep sense of trust, duty and sacrifice as she takes up her new assignment.

“The lifelong commitment of Ajit Pawar saheb to the development of Maharashtra and his tireless work for the people will always guide

me,” she said.

Sunetra Pawar became Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy CM days after Ajit Pawar’s death, vowing to uphold his legacy. Nephew Rohit Pawar expressed grief at his absence but welcomed her taking charge.