Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai

Mumbai, Feb 26: In a landmark political development, Sunetra Pawar was unanimously elected as the national president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) during the party’s national executive meeting in Mumbai on Thursday.

Party Working president Praful Patel proposed her nomination, which was seconded by Maharashtra unit president Sunil Tatkare. Members of the national executive expressed their full confidence in her leadership with a show of hands. Both leaders paid tribute to former NCP National President and ex-Maharashtra deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar, who tragically died in a plane crash near Baramati on January 28, 2026.

Sunetra Pawar succeeds her late husband, Ajit Pawar, and formally assumed office on February 26 following a unanimous decision by party MLAs and senior leaders. She made history earlier this year on January 31 as the first woman to be sworn in as Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister. Prior to that, she was elected unanimously as leader of the NCP Legislative Party, filling the sudden leadership vacuum.

In the Maharashtra Cabinet under chief minister Devendra Fadnavis, she manages key portfolios including State Excise, Sports and Youth Welfare, and Minority Development and Waqf. Her swift rise from Rajya Sabha MP to the top echelons of both party and state leadership highlights the party’s trust in her capabilities.

Sunetra Pawar’s elevation represents a dramatic shift from her previous behind-the-scenes role. Long recognised for her social work in Baramati—overseeing Vidya Pratishthan educational institutions and supporting environmental initiatives—she now steps into the forefront of active political leadership. Her foray into electoral politics began in 2024 when she contested the Baramati Lok Sabha seat and, despite an initial setback, later secured a Rajya Sabha seat, signalling her growing influence within the NCP and national political landscape.