Ajit Pawar's successor: No opposition to wife Sunetra, says Praful Patel

Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) working president Praful Patel said on Friday (January 30) that there was no opposition within the party to Ajit Pawar’s wife, Sunetra Pawar, becoming the new leader of the NCP legislature wing, though the family’s consent would be sought before filling the key position.

Also Read: After Ajit Pawar’s death, NCP seeks to retain key cabinet portfolios in Maharashtra

Patel’s comments came amid remarks by several party leaders suggesting that Sunetra Pawar, a Rajya Sabha MP, was likely to be appointed leader of the NCP legislature party and could also be considered for the post of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister.

Focus on filling key vacancies

The former Union minister said the immediate priority was to fill the vacant posts of Deputy Chief Minister and leader of the NCP legislature party, both of which were held by Ajit Pawar at the time of his death in an air crash on January 28. He added that appointments to the party’s top organisational post, also held by the late leader, were not under consideration at present.

Talking to reporters, Patel said party leaders met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis to apprise him that the NCP, a key constituent of the ruling Mahayuti alliance, is in the process of finalising its leadership transition.

“Ajit Pawar was the leader of the NCP legislature party and an important functionary of the ruling Mahayuti alliance. We are in the process of finalising the leadership transition,” he said.

Patel insisted there was no question of opposing Sunetra Pawar's name to replace Ajit Pawar as the NCP legislature party leader.

NCP minister backs Sunetra

Sunetra is currently a Rajya Sabha MP and not a member of either House of the state legislature. However, the Baramati assembly seat in Pune district has fallen vacant after Ajit Pawar's death.

"Sentiments of the people and that of the party are the same. We have to speak to the (Ajit Pawar) family (over key appointments), request them first (for approval)," Patel said.

Also Read: 'Inhuman' to talk about Ajit Pawar's successor now, says Sanjay Raut

Senior NCP leaders on Friday met Fadnavis at his official residence Varsha in south Mumbai. The meeting lasted nearly one and a half hours, and was attended by senior party leaders, including Patel, Chhagan Bhujbal, state president Sunil Tatkare and former minister Dhananjay Munde.

NCP minister Narhari Zirwal on Thursday (January 29) had publicly expressed his wish that Sunetra be appointed as the deputy chief minister.

According to a close associate of Ajit, he was keen on the merger of the two factions of the NCP and that it was about to happen soon.

BJP urges restraint

BJP's Maharashtra unit media in-charge Navnath Ban on Friday said there was no doubt that Ajit would be cleared of the allegations levelled against him in the alleged irrigation scam case.

Speaking to reporters, Ban responded to remarks by Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut, who had said that the true tribute to Ajit, who died in a plane crash on Wednesday, would be for the BJP to withdraw the allegations.

Ban said the matter was in court, and it was inappropriate to raise political questions at a time when the entire state was mourning Pawar's untimely death.

“The case relating to the irrigation scam allegations is already in court. There is no doubt that Ajit Pawar will get justice and will be cleared of the charges against him,” Ban said.

Last rites at Baramati

A day after Ajit was cremated in his hometown Baramati in Pune district, his two sons on Friday collected his ashes from the funeral site.

Ajit (66), fondly called 'Dada' (elder brother), was cremated with full state honours on Thursday at Baramati, located around 100 km from Pune.

On Friday, Parth and Jay collected the ashes from the cremation ground. The late leader's uncle and NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and other members of the family were present during the ritual.

Speculations of merger

Party sources said the proposed merger of NCP and NCP (SP) headed by Sharad Pawar, is "very much on course", with talks reaching an "advanced stage" even before the deputy chief minister's death.

Also Read: After Ajit Pawar, NCP split over Sunetra elevation and merger with NCP (SP)

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Crime Investigation Department (CID) has started its probe into the plane crash that killed Ajit and four others, an official said on Friday.

The state police have issued orders about the CID probe into the accidental death case registered at Baramati, the official told PTI.