From ‘Vahini’ to power centre: Sunetra Pawar’s sudden rise in Maharashtra politics
For a woman who once stayed deliberately away from politics, Sunetra Pawar now stands at a crossroads, tasked with steering a divided party, managing coalition pressures and defining her own political identity
PTC Web Desk: The last two years have dramatically reshaped Sunetra Pawar’s life. At an age when most politicians begin to slow down, she entered active politics at 61, and has since found herself at the very centre of Maharashtra’s turbulent power play.
From losing her first electoral battle in the Lok Sabha elections to making an unexpected entry into the Rajya Sabha, and now stepping into the role of Maharashtra’s first woman Deputy Chief Minister, Sunetra’s journey has been swift, complex and largely unplanned. The post fell vacant following the sudden demise of her husband, Ajit Pawar, one of the state’s most influential political figures.
Known for years simply as ‘Vahini’ in Baramati, Sunetra must now lead a fractured Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and assert authority in a sharply divided political landscape.
Deep political roots, but a life away from power
Born in 1963 in erstwhile Osmanabad (now Dharashiv), Sunetra hails from a Maratha family deeply entrenched in Maharashtra politics. Her father, Bajirao Patil, and brother, Padamsinh Bajirao Patil, were influential leaders. Padamsinh, a former Cabinet minister and ex-Lok Sabha MP, was among the founding members of the NCP and a trusted aide of Sharad Pawar.
Despite this legacy, Sunetra consciously kept politics at arm’s length. She completed her Bachelor of Commerce from SB Arts and Commerce College in Aurangabad in 1983 and married Ajit Pawar in 1985. For decades after, she stayed firmly in the background, choosing social work over electoral ambition.
Grassroots work that shaped her public identity
Sunetra first came into public view through her work in Kathewadi, the Pawar family’s ancestral village. Disturbed by poor sanitation and open defecation, she spearheaded a cleanliness movement that transformed Kathewadi into Maharashtra’s first recognised eco-village.
The village today boasts solar street lighting, biogas plants and early adoption of organic farming practices. Her work expanded to biodiversity conservation and water management in drought-prone western Maharashtra , a region frequently battling agrarian distress and farmer suicides.
One of her most significant initiatives was the establishment of the Baramati Hi-Tech Textile Park in 2008. Spread across 65 acres, the industrial hub employs nearly 15,000 people, with women forming a majority of the workforce.
Political entry triggered by party split
Speculation around Sunetra’s political debut began in 2023, when Ajit Pawar broke away from Sharad Pawar and split the NCP, joining the BJP-Shiv Sena alliance to form the government. At the time, Sunetra dismissed suggestions of entering politics, stating publicly that it was never her chosen path.
However, political circumstances soon overtook personal preference. In 2024, she contested the Baramati Lok Sabha seat against her sister-in-law and Sharad Pawar’s daughter, Supriya Sule. She lost the high-profile contest but remained in the political frame, later being nominated to the Rajya Sabha.
Controversies and investigations
Though Sunetra has largely maintained a low public profile, her family has not been free of controversy. In 2009, her brother Padamsinh was named by the CBI as the prime accused in the murder of Congress leader Pawanraje Nimbalkar, a case that is still sub judice.
Her name also surfaced during investigations into alleged irregularities at the Maharashtra State Cooperative Bank. In 2021, the Enforcement Directorate attached assets linked to firms associated with Ajit and Sunetra Pawar. However, in 2024, the Mumbai Police granted her a clean chit in the matter.
A steep learning curve ahead
As Deputy Chief Minister and leader of the NCP legislative party, Sunetra faces formidable challenges. A political novice by experience, she must manage seasoned leaders such as Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare and Chhagan Bhujbal, while simultaneously ensuring party cohesion.
She will also need to navigate the delicate balance within the Mahayuti alliance. Ajit Pawar’s personal equations with Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Shiv Sena leader Eknath Shinde played a crucial role in alliance stability. With Ajit Pawar gone, questions are being raised about shifting power equations, particularly whether Shinde may gain greater leverage.