Sunetra Pawar Becomes Maharashtra’s First Woman Deputy Chief Minister

• 03 Feb 2026

Why in News? 

Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra on 31 January 2026, becoming the first woman to hold this post in the state’s history.  

Key Points: 

• Article 163 & 164: The Governor appoints the Chief Minister and, on their advice, other ministers. While the post of "Deputy CM" is not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution, it carries the rank of a Cabinet Minister. 
• Appointment: Her appointment came just three days after the death of her husband, Ajit Pawar, who served as Deputy Chief Minister until his sudden demise in a plane crash. 
• Political Background: Sunetra Pawar is a senior leader of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and previously served as a Member of Parliament (Rajya Sabha) representing Maharashtra.  
• Portfolios Assigned: After taking oath, she was entrusted with three key ministerial departments in the Maharashtra government i.e State Excise Duty, Sports and Youth and Minorities Development  
• Breaking the Glass Ceiling: Despite Maharashtra's progressive history, it had never appointed a woman to the Deputy CM post until her appointment. 

Read More: Rajya Sabha