Sunetra Pawar Set to Make History as Maharashtra's First Woman Deputy CM

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{ "title": "Sunetra Pawar Set to Make History as Maharashtra's First Woman Deputy CM", "article": "In a historic move, Sunetra Pawar is all set to become the first woman deputy chief minister of Maharashtra, taking over the position left vacant by her late husband Ajit Pawar. The 62-year-old Rajya Sabha member will take oath at a low-key ceremony at Lok Bhavan on Saturday at 5 pm. According to Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leaders, Sunetra will be elected as the leader of the NCP legislature party on Saturday, following which she will be sworn in as deputy chief minister. The 40 legislators of the NCP are expected to meet at Vidhan Bhavan in Mumbai at 2 pm to elect their leader. Sunetra, who is not a member of either house of the legislature, will have to either contest a bypoll or be nominated to the upper house to handle the two ministries previously held by Ajit Pawar, including the finance portfolio. The Baramati seat, represented by Ajit Pawar, will also see a bypoll within the next six months. NCP leaders, including Food and Civil Supplies Minister Chhagan Bhujbal, have expressed their support for Sunetra, stating that she will lead the legislative party. "We will authorise her to take all decisions on our behalf," said Senior Minister Manikrao Kokate. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has also extended his support, stating that the decisions related to the post of deputy chief minister will be taken by the NCP. "We will support the decision that is taken by the NCP and Ajit Pawar's family," he said. The swearing-in ceremony is expected to take place even before the Pawar family meeting to discuss the merger of two factions of the NCP. The two factions had initiated merger talks earlier and even fought some local body polls together. Sunetra's decision to accept the post has been welcomed by party leaders, with Praful Patel stating that there is no opposition to her becoming the new leader of the NCP legislature wing. The power struggle between the leaders of the factions has already begun, with some leaders opposing the merger and others pushing for it. Ajit Pawar and four others were killed in a plane crash on Wednesday, ending an era in state politics and raising questions about the flight operator and the state of the airstrip. His ashes were immersed at the confluence of Neera and Karha rivers near Baramati on Friday, with Sunetra and other family members in attendance."