Amid reports about late deputy CM Ajit Pawar's wife Sunetra Pawar will take over the reins of NCP, sources have revealed that the party will propose her for the post of Maharashtra deputy chief minister.
Sunetra Pawar is currently NCP's Rajya Sabha member. The NCP is part of the ruling Mahayuti alliance along with the BJP and Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena.
This comes as senior NCP leader and FDA minister Narhari Zirwal, a close confidant of Ajit Pawar, told PTI that Sunetra will soon join the state ministry. The party is likely to field Sunetra in the seat vacated by her late husband.
Zirwal said, "People want "vahini" (sister-in-law) to be included in the ministry. We will talk to the leadership about it and take a decision."
Earlier, Sunetra held discussions with top NCP leaders including Praful Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, Dhanajay Munde and Sunil Tatkare.
The proposal to field Sunetra in Ajit's seat and inducting her as deputy CM is likely to be discussed in a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Talking about the two NCP factions, including the NCP(SP) led by Sharad Pawar, Zirwal said, "The two factions are already together. Everyone has realised that there is no point in remaining scattered and have to be together."
Pawar and four other persons on board an aircraft were killed after it crashed barely 200 metres from the edge of the tabletop airstrip.
