Fadnavis backs NCP as Sunetra Pawar set for Maharashtra Dy CM oath
Fadnavis backs NCP as Sunetra Pawar set for Maharashtra Dy CM oath
Maharashtra's ruling coalition signals unity as Fadnavis pledges support to the NCP and Sunetra Pawar ahead of her 5 pm oath as Deputy Chief Minister, after Ajit Pawar's passing.
In a show of political unity, the Mahayuti alliance reiterated its backing for the NCP and Sunetra Pawar ahead of her swearing-in as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis told reporters that the government and the BJP will support whatever decision the NCP makes regarding the post, emphasizing solidarity with Ajit Pawar's family during the transition. He spoke after discussions with Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, underscoring the alliance's resolve to navigate this period together.
Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP and the widow of late Ajit Pawar, is set to take oath on Saturday at 5 pm as Deputy Chief Minister. She is expected to continue holding the Excise and Sports portfolios in the state cabinet. The Finance portfolio, for the moment, will remain with Chief Minister Fadnavis, with a plan to hand it over to the NCP at a later stage as the budget session approaches in March.
NCP leaders had met with Fadnavis to discuss potential options for the Deputy Chief Minister's appointment. The party notes Sunetra Pawar's nomination despite her not being a member of either Maharashtra legislature yet, a procedural detail the party is addressing as it moves forward with the nomination.
As the coalition navigates this transition, observers will be watching how governance and portfolio balance unfold in the months ahead, particularly with the budget session on the horizon.
