Amid slogans of ‘Ajit Dada Amar Rahe’, Nationalist Congress Party leader and NCP leader Sunitra Pawar, wife of late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, took oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of the state at Lok Bhawan in Mumbai on Saturday.
Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat administered the oath of office to Sunetra Pawar in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde.
Sunetra Pawar took over the post left vacant after the death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28. With this Sunetra Pawar became the first woman Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Maharashtra Minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule, NCP Maharashtra State President Sunil Tatkare, NCP Working President Praful Patel and Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal were also present on the occasion.
NCP leaders raised slogans of “Ajit Dada Amar Rahe” and “Bharat Mat Ki Jai” when Sunetra Pawar took the oath of office.
He was elected the leader of the NCP Legislative Party this morning itself.
After this, NCP leaders met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and finalized the appointment of Sunetra Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister.
Sunetra Pawar is known for her work in the field of sustainable development, environmental protection and rural empowerment.
As an MP in the Rajya Sabha, she has emerged as a driving force behind several initiatives promoting inclusive and sustainable progress.
In 2010, he founded the Environmental Forum of India (EFOI), a non-governmental organization dedicated to raising environmental awareness and fostering environmentally conscious communities. He has led extensive grassroots campaigns focused on biodiversity conservation, endangered species conservation, water resources management and drought relief.
Earlier, Chhagan Bhujbal welcomed the party’s decision to elect Sunetra Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister, saying it was a good decision and what people wanted after the untimely death of NCP chief Ajit Pawar.
Speaking to reporters, Bhujbal said, “This is a good thing. People want this and our MLAs are also demanding the same. This is absolutely right. In the current situation, Sunetra Tai should be the leader of the legislative party and the Deputy Chief Minister.”
Ajit Pawar died on Wednesday when the chartered plane carrying him crashed in Baramati. The dead included his personal security officer, a flight attendant and two pilots.