Ajit Pawar's Political Faction Faces Uncertainty

19 UPDATES · 8 DAYS · 28 JAN 2026 — 4 FEB 2026

SPNationalist CongressCongressDevendra FadnavisNCPPuneSharad PawarMaharashtra

Latest · 4 Feb 2026

Sharad Pawar, NCP leader, clarified that Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Chief Minister, is not involved in merger talks and Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil are leading the discussions.

What this timeline covers

This event covers Ajit Pawar's swearing-in for his sixth term as Deputy Chief Minister in Maharashtra in 2024, including any reactions, analyses, and follow-up developments related to this specific occurrence. It excludes other actions by Ajit Pawar, the NCP, BJP, or Shiv Sena unless they are direct developments of this swearing-in event.

The full story, from the beginning

28Jan

STORY BEGINS — The Hindu

In Pictures | Ajit Pawar's political journey

The Hindu

Ajit Pawar, Maharashtra's longest-serving Deputy Chief Minister, tragically died in a plane crash, leaving the future of his political faction uncertain.

BBC

Ajit Pawar's death has created a political vacuum in Maharashtra, prompting questions about the future of the NCP and its remaining lawmakers.

29Jan

The Hindu

Ajit Pawar's unexpected death has created uncertainty about the future of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and its relationship with the ruling alliance, Mahayuti.

The Hindu

Ajit Pawar's death has left the NCP in a state of uncertainty regarding its future direction and alliance with Mahayuti.

30Jan

The Hindu

Senior NCP leaders met with Maharashtra Chief Minister Fadnavis to discuss the political situation and the future of the party following Ajit Pawar's death.

The Hindu

Praful Patel confirmed no opposition to Sunetra Pawar's leadership of the NCP legislature wing, emphasizing family consent and a meeting with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

The Hindu

Sanjay Raut condemned discussions about NCP leadership succession following Ajit Pawar's death, emphasizing the need to prioritize the grief of his wife, Sunetra Pawar.

The Hindu

Sunetra Pawar, widow of Ajit Pawar, will become Maharashtra's first female Deputy Chief Minister, inheriting a party navigating political challenges and a merger with Sharad Pawar's party.

The Hindu

Sharad Pawar expressed surprise at his wife, Sunetra Pawar's, planned swearing-in as Maharashtra's first female deputy chief minister.

The Hindu

Sunetra Pawar arrived in Mumbai to be sworn in as Maharashtra's first female Deputy Chief Minister following the death of her husband and NCP leader Ajit Pawar.

31Jan

The Hindu

The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) is expected to choose a new leader and appoint Sunetra Pawar as Maharashtra's first woman Deputy Chief Minister.

The Hindu

Senior NCP leaders, including Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare, were aware of the merger between the NCP-SP factions, according to Jayant Patil.

The Hindu

NCP president Sunil Tatkare denied reports of a merger discussion with Sharad Pawar's faction, clarifying the Baramati meeting was about local elections.

The Hindu

Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as Maharashtra's first female Deputy Chief Minister following her husband's death and election as leader of the NCP Legislature Party.

The Hindu

Sunetra Pawar was unanimously elected as the leader of the Nationalist Congress Party following her husband's death and was sworn in as Maharashtra's first woman Deputy Chief Minister.

1Feb

The Hindu

Sunetra Pawar was appointed Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister following the death of Ajit Pawar.

The Hindu

Piyush Goyal's claim that Praful Patel was appointed NCP president was denied by Patel, who emphasized democratic processes for leadership decisions.

4Feb

LATEST UPDATE — The Hindu

Sharad Pawar, NCP leader, clarified that Devendra Fadnavis, Maharashtra Chief Minister, is not involved in merger talks and Ajit Pawar and Jayant Patil are leading the discussions.

Story concluded