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Calls are growing within the NCP to appoint Sunetra Pawar as Deputy Chief Minister following the tragic death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Party leader and Maharashtra minister Narhari Zirwal said elevating Sunetra Pawar would be a fitting tribute to the late leader and help preserve the Pawar family’s political legacy. He added that he would raise the proposal with senior party figures. Ajit Pawar was cremated in Baramati on Thursday amid heavy security and the presence of top political leaders.

‘Make Sunetra Deputy CM As tribute’

Narhari Zirwal said Sunetra Pawar, currently a Rajya Sabha MP, should be inducted into the state cabinet and appointed Deputy Chief Minister as a mark of respect to her late husband.

He stated that such a move would honour Ajit Pawar’s contribution to Maharashtra politics while ensuring continuity of leadership within the Pawar family. Zirwal said he plans to discuss the matter with senior NCP leaders and formally request action.

On the possibility of reunifying the two NCP factions, Zirwal claimed the divide had already begun to narrow. “Everyone now realises there is no benefit in staying fragmented. Unity is the need of the hour,” he said.

Final Rites Held In Baramati

Ajit Pawar’s last rites were performed on Thursday at Vidya Pratishthan in Baramati. His sons, Parth and Jay Pawar, lit the funeral pyre. Union Home Minister Amit Shah, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde were among several senior leaders who paid their final respects.

The former Deputy Chief Minister died on January 28 after a Learjet aircraft crashed near Baramati runway, around 100 km from Pune, shortly before landing. The accident also claimed the lives of two pilots, a flight attendant and a personal security officer.

Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s wife, is a sitting Rajya Sabha MP. She contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Baramati against Sharad Pawar’s daughter Supriya Sule but lost. Despite the defeat, she later secured a Rajya Sabha seat, marking her formal entry into national politics.

Following Ajit Pawar’s death, speculation has intensified over who will carry forward the NCP legacy. Apart from Sunetra Pawar, his son Parth Pawar and senior leader Praful Patel are also being discussed as potential successors. Political circles are also abuzz with talk of whether the divided party may reunite in the coming weeks.