Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar was the longest-serving deputy chief minister of Maharashtra and held finance, planning, and excise departments under the Mahayuti govt (NCP, Shiv Sena, BJP). On January 27, 2026, morning, while Ajit Pawar was on his way to Baramati, his plane crashed, in which he and 5 others died. This incident has spread a mourning environment in the entire state. While the Pawar family and the close aides to Pawar are recovering from the shock, there are rumors that Ajit Pawar's wife, Sunetra Pawar, is likely to take the post of deputy CM of Maharashtra.
As per the IndiaTv sources Sunetra will likely be elected as its leader in the legislative party meeting of the NCP will be held at 2 pm on Saturday. After which late Ajit Pawar's wife will be swearing in as a deputy chief minister at around 5 pm at the Raj Bhavan in Mumbai.Preparations are underway at the Raj Bhavan for her swearing in ceremony, they added.
This development comes after meeting of senior NCP leaders met Sunetra Pawar to discuss the future about the party. During this they also discussed about the rife and the merger of two NCP. Kiran Gujar, who was associated with Ajit since 1990s, said the NCP chief was cent per cent keen on merging the two factions.
Gujar told news agency PTI, " Many positive things were on the cards, but this tragedy struck and took Ajit 'dada' away from us. Now, after his death, it has become even more imperative that both factions come together and work for the betterment of Baramati and the state."
NCP faction reunited for the Municipal election.
NCP factions had contested the recently concluded municipal corporation elections in Pune and Pimpri Chinchwad together, but had failed to impress after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) swept the polls. In Pune, Ajit's NCP won 27 seats, while Sharad Pawar's faction bagged three seats. In Pimpri Chinchwad, the Ajit faction won 37 seats.