Sunetra Pawar taking oath
Credit: ANI
Mumbai: In a historic day for Maharashtra, NCP’s Sunetra Pawar was on Saturday appointed as the Deputy Chief Minister - the first woman to occupy the coveted post since the formation of the state 66 years ago.
Sunetra Pawar (62) was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat at the Lok Bhavan in Mumbai.
The swearing-in took place in a simple formal ceremony just three days after her husband NCP president and Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash.
Ajit Pawar (66) was the state’s longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister, a post he occupied for close to nine years.
At the swearing-in ceremony, Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis, who heads the BJP-led Maha Yuti government and Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde, who is the Shiv Sena chief leader, their cabinet colleagues were present.
Sunetra Pawar is expected to take charge at Mantralaya, the state secretariat, on Monday.
Before the swearing-in ceremony, the NCP legislature party met at the Vidhan Bhavan complex in Mumbai and unanimously elected her their leader.
The meeting was presided over by NCP working president Praful Patel and the proceedings were conducted by NCP state president Sunil Tatkare.
Veteran NCP leader and former Legislative Assembly Speaker Dilip Walse-Patil moved a resolution proposing her name which was seconded by veteran leader and state food, civil supplies and consumer protection minister Chhagan Bhujbal.