Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra set to be new Maharashtra deputy CM, to take oath tomorrow: Report

Sunetra Pawar with late husband Ajit Pawar

Sunetra Pawar, wife of deceased Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, has accepted the proposal to be the next Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, News 18 reported on Friday, citing NCP sources. The report further said that she is likely to take an oath at 5 pm on Saturday. She is reportedly also likely to be the NCP chief.

The decision came after the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash that took place on January 28. Pawar was on his way to Baramati when the plane crashed while landing. Five people, including Pawar and the pilots, were killed in the crash.

Who is Sunetra Pawar?

Sunetra Pawar was born in 1963 in Osmanabad, now known as Dharashiv, into a politically influential Maratha family. She is the daughter of Bajirao Patil, a well-known leader in the region, and the sister of Padamsinh Bajirao Patil, who rose to prominence as a key political figure in the district during the 1980s.

She earned a Bachelor of Commerce degree from SB Arts and Commerce College in Aurangabad, now Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar, in 1983. In December 1985, she married Ajit Pawar, whom she had been introduced to earlier that year.

Sunetra Pawar’s initial engagement in public life focused on Kathewadi, the Pawar family’s ancestral village near Baramati. Concerned about inadequate sanitation and the practice of open defecation, she spearheaded cleanliness campaigns and motivated residents to construct household toilets. These efforts led to Kathewadi being awarded the Centre’s “Nirmal Gram” status in 2006.

Over time, Kathewadi was transformed into a model eco-village, featuring solar-powered street lighting, biogas facilities, organised waste management, and a push towards organic agriculture. The village also earned recognition under initiatives such as the Sant Gadgebaba Swachhata Abhiyan.

Beyond rural development, Sunetra Pawar played a key role in the establishment of the Baramati Hi Tech Textile Park in 2008. Spanning 65 acres, the industrial hub provides employment to more than 15,000 workers, predominantly women, across weaving, garment manufacturing, and printing units, with Sunetra Pawar serving as its chairperson.