Sunetra Pawar elected NCP national president, tightens grip on party

Mumbai: Strengthening her hold on the party, Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, wife of the late NCP leader Ajit Pawar, was on Thursday elected as NCP's national president. This decision was taken during the party's national convention meet in Mumbai on Thursday. NCP leader Praful Patel proposed Sunetra Pawar's name and the party members present unanimously seconded it.

The elevation of Sunetra Pawar has a lot of significance as it makes the proposed merger of the two parties a distant possibility as the NCP leadership wants Sunetra to use the opportunity to strengthen her hold on the party. An influential section of the NCP leadership believes that if the two parties are merged now, Sharad Pawar- Supriya Sule would be running the merged party which is not acceptable to them.

Sunetra Pawar will contest the upcoming Baramati assembly by-election, left vacant after her husband's death. Their eldest son Parth Pawar will be representing the party in the Rajya Sabha.


A resolution was passed to elect Praful Patel as NCP's national working president and Sunil Tatkare was given another term as NCP state president.

An emotional Sunetra Pawar, in her speech, said she would follow her husband's ideology to develop the state. "It is true that nobody can fill Dada's shoes. However, his ideology and his path of development, the party cadres he created, his determination and his discipline are the real strengths of the NCP. The responsibility bestowed on me is difficult. But, it will be possible to work with your support," Sunetra said while addressing the party leaders.