NCP Reunion: Sunetra Pawar has been unanimously elected as the NCP leader by the leaders of the legislative assembly. She will take oath as the Deputy CM of Maharashtra at 5 PM.

The development comes amid the buzz over the merger of the two factions of the NCP, which many called the leader’s “last wish”.

Senior leaders of the Nationalist Congress Party are holding crucial discussions as political activity intensifies in Maharashtra following the sudden death of Ajit Pawar. Party sources indicate that Sunetra Pawar is the leading choice to step into the role of Deputy Chief Minister.

On Friday, NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal, Sunil Tatkare and Dhananjay Munde met Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis at Varsha Bungalow, adding to speculation over an imminent leadership announcement.

Ajit Pawar’s faction of the NCP is currently part of the ruling alliance in Maharashtra along with the BJP, led by Fadnavis, and Eknath Shinde’s Shiv Sena. Meanwhile, the rival NCP group led by Sharad Pawar and his daughter Supriya Sule remains in the opposition alongside the Congress and the Shiv Sena (UBT).

Sunetra Pawar is presently a Rajya Sabha MP and is not a member of either House of the Maharashtra legislature. However, the Baramati Assembly seat in Pune district has become vacant following Ajit Pawar’s death in the plane crash on Wednesday, opening the door for a possible political transition in the constituency.