Sunetra Pawar takes charge as Maharashtra Deputy CM; visits Siddhivinayak

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister CM Sunetra Pawar assumed charge on Tuesday morningMumbai Maharashtra Sunetra Pawar has officially assumed charge as Deputy Chief Minister pictwittercomqvlc4roRcemdash IANS ians_india February 10 2026Before heading to her office she visited two of Mumbairsquos most iconic sites Siddhivinayak Temple and ChaityabhoomiWATCH NCP pictwittercomJlzTCmzwQ0mdash ANI_HindiNews AHindinews February 10 2026Accompanied by senior Nationalist Congress Party NCP leaders including Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare Pawar visited the Siddhivinayak Temple in Prabhadevi where she offered prayers to Lord Ganesha Her son Parth was also present to offer prayers at the templeFollowing the prayers Pawar proceeded to the Chaityabhoomi in Dadar where she paid homage to Bharat Ratna Dr BR Ambedkar at his memorial She offered floral tributes and observed a moment of silence in remembrance of the chief architect of the Indian Constitution pictwittercomkrPrfZfvlTmdash Sunetra Ajit Pawar SunetraA_Pawar February 10 2026Later the deputy CM visited the NCP office where she was welcomed by a large number of party workersShe then proceeded to the state secretariat Mantralaya where she formally assumed her ministerial duties and took her seat in the deputy CMs officeFirst cabinet meeting official engagements on agenda for Sunetra Pawar on Day 1The visits come days after Pawar was sworn in as Maharashtrarsquos first woman deputy CM on January 31 following the tragic death of her husband former Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in an air crash on January 28 In the recent cabinet allocation she was assigned the state excise sports and minority development portfolios She has also been appointed Guardian Minister for Pune and Beed districtsSunetra Pawar will attend the weekly cabinet meeting later on Tuesdaymdashthe first since her husbands passingmdashpresided over by Chief Minister Devendra FadnavisShe is expected to carry out official engagements at Mantralaya and Vidhan BhavanLater in the day Pawar formally took charge at her office She is also likley to attend a cabinet meeting and carry out official engagements at Mantralaya and Vidhan Bhavan Earlier sources had stated that she is likely to also travel to Delhi to meet Central leaders including Home Minister Amit ShahNCP leader Nawab Malik and legislator Sana Malik were among those who visited the Siddhivinayak Temple to welcome the new Deputy CMPawar had visited Ruby Hall Clinic in Pune to meet Nationalist Congress Party Sharadchandra Pawar chief Sharad Pawar before heading to Mumbai The veteran leader is undergoing treatment for throatrelated problems and persistent coughing