Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar held a meeting with party leaders and workers in Pune, attended by key party workers, including a few MLAs from the region. During her meeting with Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) workers, she urged them to work together to fulfil the late Ajit Pawar’s dream and strengthen the party at its grassroots. “Sunetra-tai said that one should not feel they have no one to back them. She assured that she would stand firmly with every NCP leader and worker,” it was learnt from a mid-rank leader of the Ajit Pawar camp.
The meeting was said to be her first detailed interaction with party workers on NCP home turf, Pune. Since the merger of the two NCP factions is much talked about in political circles, many were expecting some indication of what Sunetra thought about it. However, she did not touch on any issues regarding the reunion.
Taking charge
Sunetra has formally taken charge of responsibilities in both the party and the Mahayuti government following the death of deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28. After being sworn in as deputy chief minister on January 31, she occupied her office at Mantralaya for the first time on Tuesday (February 10), marking the beginning of her new role in the government. On the same day, she also attended her first cabinet meeting, signalling her active entry into the state’s decision-making process.
Visit to Delhi
Sunetra travelled to Delhi this week, where she met Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. These meetings are seen as important in strengthening her political position within the Mahayuti alliance.
Focus on change
From Delhi, Sunetra is said to have chaired the crucial District Planning and Development Committee meeting. Later on Friday, she held her first major meeting with party workers in Pune.
