NCP Legislators Rally Behind Sunetra Pawar, Decide to Appoint Her National President

Mumbai, Feb 2026 : In a significant political development following a period of mourning and uncertainty, legislators of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) on Monday formally resolved to appoint Sunetra Pawar, wife of former Deputy Chief Minister late Ajit Pawar, as the party’s national president. The decision reflects a strong show of unity within the party ranks in the aftermath of Ajit Pawar’s sudden and untimely death in a plane crash on January 28.

According to party sources, the formal appointment is expected to take place at the NCP’s national executive meeting scheduled for February 26 in Mumbai. Leaders indicated that Sunetra Pawar has agreed to shoulder the responsibility of leading the party at a critical juncture and guiding it forward after the loss of its national president.

The decision was taken at the first meeting of NCP legislators chaired by Sunetra Pawar after she was elected leader of the legislature party and sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister on January 31. During the meeting, party MLAs unanimously authorised her to take a final call on the sensitive issue of a possible merger with the faction led by Sharad Pawar. At the same time, the leadership directed legislators to refrain from making any public statements or media comments regarding the merger debate.

Sources said the focus of Monday’s meeting remained firmly on strengthening the party organisation, preparing for the appointment of the national president, and discussing strategy for the upcoming budget session of the Maharashtra legislature, which begins on February 23. Leaders were advised to maintain discipline and unity, keeping internal deliberations away from public discourse.

The meeting was held in a sombre atmosphere, with legislators expressing solidarity with Sunetra Pawar and assuring her of their full support in carrying forward the political legacy of Ajit Pawar. Several speakers recalled his decisive leadership, organisational skills, and ambition to expand the party’s influence across the state and beyond.

Party working president Praful Patel, state unit chief Sunil Tatkare, and senior minister Chhagan Bhujbal addressed the gathering. They paid tribute to Ajit Pawar’s role in strengthening the NCP and urged legislators to remain united during the transition period.

In an emotional address, Sunetra Pawar spoke about her long association with her late husband and the circumstances that led her to step into active leadership. She said her decision to accept the responsibility was driven by the need to keep the party united and stable during a challenging time. “I decided to take up this new responsibility to ensure unity within the party and to consolidate its position,” she told the legislators.

The meeting took place against the backdrop of a recent war of words between the two NCP factions over a possible merger or reunification. While leaders from the NCP faction led by Sharad Pawar have claimed that Ajit Pawar had initiated merger talks, the NCP leadership has strongly denied these assertions.

Praful Patel sought to downplay the controversy, stating that the debate over a merger was being unnecessarily amplified. Sunil Tatkare reiterated that the NCP is part of the National Democratic Alliance led by the Bharatiya Janata Party and would continue in the alliance in the future.

Meanwhile, following what was described as a snub from the Ajit Pawar faction, state NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) chief Shashikant Shinde announced on Saturday that, for his group, the merger issue is now a closed chapter, particularly in view of Ajit Pawar’s demise.