Sunetra Pawar oath-taking highlights: NCP leader gets three portfolios after taking oath as dy CM

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NCP (SP) Maharashtra unit president Shashikant Shinde on Saturday said his party chief Sharad Pawar and other leaders had no prior knowledge about the decision that NCP's Sunetra Pawar would take oath as the state Deputy Chief Minister.

On questions over the apparent haste in conducting Sunetra Pawar's swearing-in ceremony, Shinde said the answers should come from her family, senior party leaders, or the chief minister and his colleagues.

"Ajit Pawar's passing is a great loss to Maharashtra. When the state is in mourning, why this decision was taken is not known to us. They will have to explain it," he said.

Sharad Pawar had no prior knowledge of her swearing-in, Shinde said.

Sunetra Pawar, 62, has resigned from the Rajya Sabha. She is not a member of either house of the state legislature at present and is expected to contest the byelection to the Baramati assembly constituency represented by her late husband, Ajit Pawar.

Uttarakhand chief minister Pushkar Dhami sent his congratulations to the new Maharashtra deputy CM Sunetra Pawar.
"Sunetra Pawar ji, heartiest congratulations and best wishes to you on taking oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Undoubtedly, under the guidance of the respected Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi ji and the able leadership of the Honourable Chief Minister Shri Devendra Fadnavis ji, you will take Maharashtra’s development journey to new heights. Endless auspicious wishes for your bright tenure," Dhami wrote on X.

Senior NCP leader and Minister Chhagan Bhujbal on Saturday congratulated Sunetra Pawar on taking oath as the first woman Deputy Chief Minister of the state and expressed hope that a woman would one day also become the Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Speaking to ANI, Bhujbal said, "Sunetra Pawar has taken oath as the first woman Deputy CM of the state. I also wish that a woman should also become the CM of the state."

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA Sana Malik on Saturday hailed the appointment of Sunetra Pawar as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, calling it a historic moment for the state.

Speaking to ANI, Malik said, "History has been written as Sunetra Pawar has taken oath as the first woman deputy CM of the state. Maharashtra will get a lot of benefit as she has always been working for social causes and the upliftment of women."

BJP leader Shehzad Poonawala commended Sunetra Pawar for prioritising the people of Maharashtra above her personal grief of losing her husband, Ajit Pawar.
"This is a difficult time for Maharashtra as we have lost a popular leader like Ajit Pawar. Even in such a difficult situation, prioritising the concerns of the people of Maharashtra above her personal grief and respecting the sentiments of her party, Sunetra Pawar has taken oath today as the first woman deputy chief minister. We congratulate her on this, and as part of the NDA family, we are confident that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Devendra Fadnavis, and Eknath Shinde, she will perform exceptionally well and carry forward Ajit Pawar's legacy. We commend her for putting the people of Maharashtra above her personal sorrow," he said to ANI.

Sunetra Pawar has been allocated three portfolios as the new deputy chief minister. They are state excise, minority affairs, sports and youth welfare. The state finance department will remain with the chief minister, Devendra Fadnavis, for now

In her first reaction after taking the oath as Maharashtra's deputy CM, Sunetra Pawar remembered her late husband, Ajit Pawar, and vowed to uphold his ideals.
“Respected Ajit Dada devoted his entire life to serving farmers, laborers, women, youth and marginalized sections of society, giving them a guiding mantra for life. Today, as I carry forward the legacy of his thoughts and accept the responsibility of the post of Deputy Chief Minister with a sense of duty, remaining faithful to the ideals of Shiv–Shahu–Phule–Ambedkar, my heart is truly overwhelmed," Sunetra Pawar said in a post on X

“Although his untimely passing has left a mountain of sorrow upon my heart, the values he taught, dedication to duty, the strength to struggle and an unwavering commitment to the people, are my true source of strength. I will continue to work with complete honesty and dedication to realise his dream of a just, egalitarian, and developed Maharashtra,” she added.

"In this difficult time, the love and support shown by the people of Maharashtra are my greatest strengths. With the power of your trust, I will keep moving forward with renewed hope, illuminating and upholding Dada’s ideals,” the post further read.

MNS chief Raj Thackeray took an indirect dig at NCP working president Praful Patel, saying that the party's chief should be a Marathi.
“Maharashtra's politics has undergone a complete upheaval in the recent past; honestly, one doesn't even feel like commenting on it. But still, one will have to speak on the events unfolding throughout the day today. A party like the Nationalist Congress Party, which is truly rooted in Marathi soil, and its working president should be a proper Marathi person, a Patil perhaps, but not a Patel!” Raj Thackeray wrote on X.

Maharashtra minister Ashish Shelar has said that new deputy CM Sunetra Pawar will continue the work as Ajit Pawar used to.
"...We have lost a very big leader of the state...Sunetra Pawar will continue to work for the development of the state, as late Ajit Pawar used to do," he told the media.

Ramdas Athawale has expressed confidence in the new deputy CM Sunetra Pawar after her oath-taking.

"Sunetra Pawar has taken oath as the first woman Deputy CM of the state...I am confident that she will continue to work for the development of the state, as late Ajit Pawar used to do," Athawale told ANI

Union Minister Piyush Goyal said he does not expect a merger of the NCP factions after Ajit Pawar's death.

NCP leader and wife of late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Sunetra Pawar, has arrived at her residence after taking oath as the first woman Deputy CM of Maharashtra.

On the absence of NCP-SCP chief Sharad Pawar from the swearing-in ceremony, Maharashtra minister Hasan Mushrif said, "How will he come, his party is different, ours is different."

Prime Minister Narendra Modi wished newly sworn-in Maharashtra deputy CM Sunetra Pawar, saying he is confident she will work tirelessly for the welfare of the state's people.
“Best wishes to Sunetra Pawar Ji as she begins her tenure as Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, the first woman to hold this responsibility. I am confident she will work tirelessly for the welfare of the people of the state and fulfil the vision of the late Ajitdada Pawar,” PM Modi said on X.

NCP SCP MP Supriya Sule met Asha Pawar, mother of Late Ajit Pawar, at her residence in Katewadi Village in Maharashtra's Baramati district.

"Since the budget session is tomorrow, I am going to Delhi. I just met with Asha Kaki. I took her permission and asked if I should go to Delhi for the budget session. She said yes, it's the country's budget, and you should go there. I am the NCP's floor leader, so my presence there is necessary," Sule told the media.

Regarding Sunetra Pawar's oath-taking ceremony and other questions, she says, "Ram Krishna Hari."

Many supporters of NCP shouted slogans like Ajitdada amar rahe and Vahini saheb age badho, hum tumhare sath hai.

Sunetra Pawar, wife of the late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, took oath as Deputy CM of Maharashtra. She was administered the oath by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat at a simple ceremony at Lok Bhavan on Saturday evening

Prior to this, she was elected as NCP leader in a meeting of MLAs

Acharya Devvrat, Governor of Maharashtra, CM Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde reach Lok Bhavan for the swearing-in ceremony of Sunetra Pawar, leader of the NCP legislative party and wife of late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis has left from his residence for Lok Bhavan, the swearing-in ceremony of Sunetra Pawar, leader of the NCP legislative party and wife of late Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar

She will be sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

Sunetra Pawar has reached the Darbar Hall of Raj Bhavan for swearing in as the Maharashtra deputy CM.

The swearing-in ceremony of Sunetra Pawar as the Maharashtra deputy CM will begin shortly at the Lok Bhavan in Mumbai.

The NCP, a constituent of the Maharashtra Mahayuti government, on Saturday submitted a letter to chief minister Devendra Fadnavis regarding the election of Sunetra Pawar, wife of late Ajit Pawar, as its legislative party leader.

BJP Leader Ram Kadam said that what Sharad Pawar says or does not say in Sunetra Pawar becoming the deputy CM of Maharashtra is “less important”.

"Many leaders in NCP feel that his wife, who is a Member of Parliament, should become the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Now, what Sharad Pawar ji is saying or not saying is less important; given their blood relationship, he would also personally wish for Sunetra ji to become the Deputy Chief Minister. Perhaps, since they belong to different parties, he might have a different role in mind. But if he were asked personally, as a family member, he might also want this. However, only he can clarify his actual role in this matter," Kadam told ANI.