Mumbai, Jan. 31 -- NCP leader Zeeshan Siddique on Saturday lauded Sunetra Pawar, wife of late Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, after her historic elevation as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, calling it "a very big thing".

"Sunetra Pawar was always with Ajit Dada during his tough times, and today she has taken such a big responsibility...This is a very big thing that a woman has become the Deputy CM of the state," he said.

Earlier today, Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat administered the oath of office to Sunetra Pawar in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde at Lok Bhavan in Mumbai.

She stepped into fill the post that became vacant following the demise of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on Ja...