Sunetra Pawar for Dy CM? Tatkare says CM Fadnavis to make final call

Following Ajit Pawar's death, NCP leaders have pitched his widow Sunetra Pawar for the Deputy CM post. While state president Sunil Tatkare says CM Fadnavis will decide, Sharad Pawar has distanced himself from the discussions.

NCP Maharashtra State President Sunil Tatkare on Saturday refused to comment on NCP (SCP) chief Sharad Pawar's remarks stating that he had no information about NCP MP and Ajit Pawar's widow Sunetra Pawar being pitched for the post of Deputy Chief Minister.

Speaking to reporters, Tatkare said that Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis will make the final decision on the Deputy Chief Minister post, which fell vacant after Ajit Pawar's demise. He said, "I don't have anything to say on this matter right now. We have a meeting, and after the meeting, we will discuss all these issues."

"We have a meeting this afternoon. After the meeting, we will meet with the Chief Minister. After the meeting with the Chief Minister, we will present our views to him, and then the Chief Minister will make a decision on it. We will discuss all these things later," the NCP leader added. NCP is scheduled to hold a meeting this afternoon, after which the party will submit the name for the Deputy CM post.

Sharad Pawar Reacts to Speculation

Sharad Pawar said he has no information about NCP MP Sunetra Pawar's name being proposed for the post of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister. He said, "I have no information about it (Sunetra Pawar's name for the Deputy CM post). Her party must have decided. What I saw in the newspaper today: some names like Praful Patel and Sunil Tatakare who have taken the initiative to make some decisions."

Ajit Pawar, 66, died in a plane crash along with four others on Wednesday, after which his wife Sunetra Pawar is speculated to take up the vacant Deputy CM post.

Maharashtra Minister and senior NCP leader Chhagan Bhujbal said that the party has pitched Sunetra Pawar's name and asked CM Devendra Fadnavis if the swearing-in ceremony can take place today. When asked about the haste to make political decisions immediately after Ajit Pawar's death, Sharad Pawar hinted that the decisions were being made by leaders in the Mahayuti government in Mumbai. "If there is a problem in the family, the family stands together. There are no issues in the family... All these discussions are not taking place here; they are happening in Mumbai. Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, and other senior leaders are having these discussions. Whatever is being seen appears to be decisions taken by them. I will not comment on this," he said.

NCP Spokesperson Confirms Swearing-In

Earlier today, NCP spokesperson Rupali Patil Thombare said that Sunetra Pawar is set to take oath as the Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister on Saturday. Speaking to ANI, Rupali Patil Thombare said party leaders had urged Sunetra Pawar to decide on the Deputy CM post and emphasised the importance of timing in politics.

Thombare said, "Ajit dada's death was very shocking. He is not with us anymore. Sunetra Vahini (Sunetra Pawar) is grieving much more than all of us. She lost her husband all of a sudden. This is the fourth day since his death. We, the workers, have urged Vahini to forget her pain and adopt Ajit Dada's dreams and work style. For this, she has made a decision for today; she had to."

"Timing is very important in politics. People will talk. Those who are speaking for him today used to comment on him when he was alive. Vahini is going to take oath as the Deputy CM today," the NCP Spokesperson said.

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by Asianet Newsable English staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)