Maharashtra Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar has been given charge of State Excise Duty, Sports and Youth Welfare and Minorities Development and Aukaf departments. Finance and Planning, the portfolios handled by her husband Ajit Pawar, will be handled by CM Devendra Fadnavis. Notably, Sunetra took oath as Deputy CM days after Ajit passed away in a plane crash in Baramati.

NCP leaders chanted 'Ajit dada amar rahe' as wife of late Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar, Sunetra Pawar, took oath as Deputy CM of the state at the Lok Bhavan on Saturday. She took the oath days after her husband Ajit passed away in a plane crash in Baramati. Sunetra has become the first woman Deputy CM of Maharashtra.

Analysts say a united NCP would likely benefit the Sharad Pawar faction more, restoring the party name, symbol, and historical networks. The late Ajit Pawar's faction may gain cohesion, but its BJP-linked identity could dilute. A merged NCP could shift Maharashtra's political balance, strengthen opposition vote consolidation, and affect alliance dynamics.

Bihar has sought a special package for setting up industries, while Himachal Pradesh has sought a special allocation of funds for hilly regions in the Union Budget 2026, which will be presented on February 1. Karnataka has demanded a fair share in the central tax devolution, while Uttarakhand CM Pushkar Singh Dhami stated they have "high expectations" from the Budget.

Nalin Haley, son of Nikki Haley, branded India a "cheap ally" while US-India trade talks near conclusion. His comments, made in response to a resurfaced Vivek Ramaswamy video, fueled online outrage. Haley, a self-styled MAGA voice, has no official role but often targets Ramaswamy, adding political drama as negotiations between Washington and New Delhi approach final stages.

Days after Maharashtra Deputy CM Ajit Pawar passed away in a plane crash in Baramati, it has been announced that his wife Sunetra Pawar will become the Deputy CM of the state. She has been elected as the leader of NCP Legislative Party and will take oath on Saturday evening. She was elected to Rajya Sabha from Maharashtra in 2024.

Rajya Sabha MP Sunetra Pawar is set to take oath at Lok Bhavan, Mumbai, at 5 pm on Saturday as Maharashtra's Deputy Chief Minister, marking a historic first for a woman in the state. The NCP will meet its legislators at Vidhan Bhavan before the ceremony to elect her as party leader. The ruling alliance partners have backed the choice.

Jayant Patil revealed that Ajit Pawar informed senior NCP leaders, Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, and Chhagan Bhujbal, about plans to merge the two factions, with a formal announcement planned after the Zilla Parishad elections. Meanwhile, preparations continue in Mumbai for Sunetra Pawar’s oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister.

SIT rejected ex-Telangana CM and BRS president KCR’s request to be examined as witness at his Erravelli farmhouse in connection with phone tapping case when the party was in power. ACP, responding to KCR’s representation, said the request could not be considered as the venue of probe is determined based on “ordinary place of residence as reflected in official records.”

With the 2026 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections nearing, a meeting in Delhi between DMK leader Kanimozhi Karunanidhi and Congress' Rahul Gandhi has drawn attention amid ongoing seat-sharing talks between the two allies. Sources said the Congress was informally assured between 27 and 30 seats, even as DMK firmly ruled out any power-sharing demand, which some Congress leaders have publicly raised.