Sunetra Pawar, who was on Saturday sworn in as Maharashtra deputy chief minister in place of her husband Ajit Pawar, has been allocated the portfolios of excise duty, sports and youth welfare, and minority development and Aukaf, ANI reported.
The portfolios of finance and planning, which were earlier held by Ajit Pawar, have been assigned to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Ajit Pawar died on January 28 when a small aircraft crashed near an airstrip in Baramati town during its second attempt to land after having initiated a go-around. Two pilots, a flight attendant and Ajit Pawar’s security officer were the others who died in the incident.
The cause of the crash was unclear. The Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau, a unit of the civil aviation ministry, is investigating the incident.
Sunetra Pawar, who became the first woman deputy chief minister of Maharashtra on Saturday, was earlier that day elected as the leader of the legislative party of the Nationalist Congress Party faction that Ajit Pawar led.
Sunetra Pawar had contested the 2024 Lok Sabha elections from Baramati as the Ajit Pawar-led NCP group’s candidate but was defeated by her sister-in-law, Supriya Sule, from the rival faction. She became a Rajya Sabha member in June 2024.
You’ve read Scroll.
Now help sustain it
Scroll is funded by readers, not corporate owners. If you believe our work matters, support our newsroom. Become a member today!
We’re not driven by clicks or corporate interests – just honest, independent reporting. Keep us going. Support Scroll today!