India, Jan. 31 -- Sunetra Pawar, 62, took the oath of office as deputy chief minister of Maharashtra on Saturday, becoming the first woman to hold this position in the history of the state, though in tragic circumstances. She succeeds her husband Ajit Pawar who died in a plane crash on January 28.

The swearing-in ceremony took place at the Lok Bhavan and was administered by the Governor.

The swearing-in was attended by CM Devendra Fadnavis of the BJP and deputy CM Eknath Shinde of the Shiv Sena, both allies with Sunetra Pawar's NCP.

Until the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sunetra Pawar had kept a low profile. In the elections that year, she contested from Baramati as the candidate of her husband's party, but was defeated by her sister-in-l...