Shiv Sena (UBT) Extends Best Wishes To Sunetra Pawar Ahead Of Taking Oath As First Woman Dy CM Of Maha

(MENAFN- IANS) New Delhi, Jan 31 (IANS) Shiv Sena (UBT) on Saturday extended its best wishes to Rajya Sabha member Sunetra Pawar, who is set to take oath as the first woman Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. Sunetra Pawar is the wife of late Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar who died in a plane crash recently.

Speaking to IANS, Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Priyanka Chaturvedi said that she has worked closely with Sunetra Pawar in the Rajya Sabha and has witnessed her commitment and dedication firsthand.

“Sunetra Pawar has been a Member of Parliament with me in the Rajya Sabha, and I have seen her work. I extend my best wishes to her and hope she continues with the dedication and commitment that Ajit Pawar had towards Maharashtra, while fulfilling the expectations and dreams he had for the state,” Chaturvedi said.

She further stated that she did not wish to comment on the political circumstances surrounding the developments following Ajit Pawar's untimely demise or the decisions taken by his party.

“I do not want to get involved in questions about why certain decisions were taken in haste or whether there was any pressure from the BJP,” she said.

Chaturvedi expressed hope that Sunetra Pawar would discharge her responsibilities sincerely and positively, and work towards the growth and development of Maharashtra with commitment and integrity.

Earlier in the day, Sunetra Pawar was unanimously elected as the NCP Legislature Party leader. Her name was proposed by party veteran Chhagan Bhujbal and seconded by Dilip Patil and a host of other legislators.

The meeting was convened on Saturday, after Sunetra Pawar, who has yet to recover from the deep shock following the sudden and untimely demise of her husband in a plane crash on Wednesday in Baramati, gave her consent to take the responsibility as the Legislature Party leader.

She is now set to become the first woman Deputy Chief Minister of the state as she will take oath in the evening at Lok Bhavan.

Maharashtra NCP chief Sunil Tatkare on Friday had dashed off a letter to all party legislators, including 40 from the state Assembly and nine from the state council, to remain present at the legislative party meeting to be held at Vidhan Bhavan.

Earlier on Friday morning, a high level NCP delegation met Devendra Fadnavis and discussed a whole range of issues including the appointment of the Legislative Party leader and Deputy Chief Minister.

The delegation included party Working President Praful Patel, state unit chief Sunil Tatkare, ministers Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif and former minister Dhananjay Munde. This development took place after a significant leadership vacuum has emerged within both the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and the Mahayuti government.

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