Daijiworld Media Network - Mumbai
Mumbai, Jan 31: Even before her marriage into the influential Pawar family in 1985, Sunetra Pawar — then Sunetra Patil — was deeply familiar with politics. The daughter of veteran local leader Bajirao Patil and sister to another politician, she carried strong political lineage but chose to remain away from the spotlight for nearly four decades.
During this period, she played a key behind-the-scenes role as the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) emerged as a major force in Maharashtra and national politics under the leadership of Sharad Pawar and later Ajit Pawar. Her public political journey began only after the dramatic split in the NCP in 2023, when Ajit Pawar broke away from his uncle Sharad Pawar and claimed the party name and symbol.
The year 2024 marked a turning point for Sunetra Pawar, fondly called ‘Vahini’ by supporters. She entered the electoral arena by contesting the Lok Sabha election from Baramati against her sister-in-law Supriya Sule of the NCP (Sharadchandra Pawar), but suffered a defeat by over 1.5 lakh votes. Months later, she was elected to the Rajya Sabha, signalling her growing political role.
Tragedy struck on Wednesday when a plane crash claimed the lives of Ajit Pawar and four others, reshaping Maharashtra’s political landscape. At 62, Sunetra Pawar, still grappling with personal loss, is now set to take on one of the most challenging roles of her life — leading the NCP legislature party and assuming office as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.
Born in October 1963, Sunetra Pawar holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from SB College, Aurangabad. After her marriage, she headed major initiatives at the Baramati High-Tech Textile Park, overseeing production, investment, employment generation and women’s empowerment. She is also a trustee of Vidya Pratishthan, managing educational institutions that cater to more than 25,000 students.
Her work extends beyond politics and industry. In 2010, she founded the Environmental Forum of India (EFOI) and played a pivotal role in transforming Katewadi village into India’s first ‘eco-village’, focusing on water conservation and solar energy. Over the years, she has led grassroots campaigns on biodiversity conservation, water management and drought mitigation.
Sunetra Pawar is expected to be sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister at 5 pm on Saturday, following consultations within the party. NCP leader and Maharashtra Minister Chhagan Bhujbal said party leaders had urged her to accept the responsibility, adding that filling the vacant post was a reasonable demand. NCP working president Praful Patel also stated that the party was united behind her leadership.
One of the biggest challenges before Sunetra Pawar will be deciding the future course of the NCP, particularly the possibility of reunification with the Sharad Pawar faction. Party sources said Ajit Pawar had initiated talks on reunion before his death, but the balance of power could change significantly now.
If reunification takes place, it may also trigger complex questions over leadership and political alignment, especially as Ajit Pawar’s NCP is currently aligned with the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena, while the Sharad Pawar faction remains with the Congress and Uddhav Thackeray’s Shiv Sena.