Sunetra Pawar Chosen As NCP's National President, Official Announcement Soon

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar is all set to become the national president of the Nationalist Congress Party.

The wife of late Ajit Pawar received an official nod from all the party's MLAs at a meeting held in Devgiri.

However, the formal decision will be taken following the party's executive committee meeting on February 26.

The proposal to appoint Pawar was moved by the party's National Working President, Praful Patel. The proposal was endorsed by all MLAs, who expressed their support by raising their hands during the meeting.

Patel, who is a Rajya Sabha MP of the party, was also in contention for the post. However, immediately after the death of Ajit Pawar, several party leaders publicly expressed their willingness to work under Sunetra Pawar's leadership.

The Opposition, however, had kept Praful Patel as its target for multiple reasons. Patel is known to be close to Home Minister Amit Shah; hence, his elevation would have meant bridging the narrow gap between the NCP and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Secondly, Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare were named by Sharad Pawar as the two leaders allegedly working against the reunion of the two NCP factions.

Pawar was nominated to the Rajya Sabha after her defeat to her sister-in-law in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. She is soon expected to vacate her Rajya Sabha seat, which will, in all likelihood, be given to her elder son, Parth Pawar, according to sources.

The party leadership also instructed MLAs to avoid speaking publicly about the issue of a merger. MLAs from both factions had earlier made statements on the matter, although the NCP leadership, especially Tatkare and Patel, had categorically denied engaging in any such discussions.