India, Jan. 31 -- Sunetra Pawar will become Maharashtra's first woman deputy chief minister, taking over the position from her late husband, NCP chief Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash on Wednesday.

Appointed to the Rajya Sabha after she unsuccessfully fought the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sunetra is expected to be elected leader of the NCP's legislature party on Saturday. She will be sworn in as deputy chief minister immediately thereafter.

Party insiders said Sunetra expressed her willingness to step into her deceased husband's shoes on Friday, after Ajit Pawar was cremated with full state honours in Baramati.

Senior party leaders Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal and Dhananjay Munde met chief minister Devendra Fadnavis...