NCP pushes Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra as Deputy CM amid faction merger talks

Mumbai: Senior NCP leader and minister Narhari Zirwal has proposed elevating Sunetra Pawar, wife of the late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, as Deputy CM to fill the leadership vacuum and facilitate the merger of the party's two factions, with sources indicating advanced discussions including her potential shift to contest the Baramati assembly seat.

Zirwal, a close confidant of both Ajit and Sharad Pawar, revealed that merger talks were in final stages under Ajit Pawar's leadership before his untimely death. "All of us from both the NCPs feel that we should now come together if we want to remain a major party and political force in the state. We cannot afford to stay separate," he said, advocating for Sunetra's elevation. "Sunetra Pawar should be made Deputy Chief Minister in place of Ajit Dada."

Sources suggest Sunetra, currently a Rajya Sabha member, could resign to fight the Baramati byelection, with her stepson Parth Pawar nominated to her Rajya Sabha seat in exchange. This arrangement has broad NCP support to consolidate the cadre, and the BJP appears amenable, as evidenced by its full-page newspaper ads paying homage to Ajit Pawar and high-profile attendance, including Union Home Minister Amit Shah, BJP president Nitin Nabin, Nitin Gadkari, and CM Devendra Fadnavis, at his funeral, where Congress leaders were notably absent.

A senior NCP figure noted the BJP's stake in preventing NCP fragmentation, lest Congress reclaim the secular space, especially as both NCP factions recently allied for Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad municipal polls and district panchayat elections using the unified clock symbol. Sharad Pawar faction's Rajesh Tope confirmed advanced merger talks and urged Sharad and Sunetra Pawar to lead the unification for party workers' sake. Sources claim Sharad Pawar has consented, driven by the need to sustain power-sharing with the BJP at state and Centre levels ahead of future battles, as neither faction wants opposition status.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut criticized the BJP's tribute ads, demanding they first withdraw the Rs 70,000 crore irrigation scam charges against Ajit Pawar as a true mark of respect.