The post Sunetra Pawar Likely to Take Oath as Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister appeared first on The Edge Media.
]]>Party sources said the decision is likely to be finalised at a meeting scheduled for January 31. If sworn in, Sunetra Pawar will become the first woman to hold the post of Deputy Chief Minister in Maharashtra, a position that was created in 1978 with the advent of coalition politics in the state.
Following Ajit Pawar’s death in an air crash in Baramati on Wednesday, a section of NCP leaders urged the party leadership to offer the post to his wife to ensure stability in both the government and the party. Sources added that Sunetra Pawar has conveyed her consent to accept the responsibility and has informed senior leaders of her decision.
“On Saturday, a parliamentary board meeting of the party will be held in Mumbai, where Sunetra Pawar is likely to be elected leader of the NCP legislature party,” a source said. “She may be sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister by the evening.”
Reacting to the developments, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis said the Bharatiya Janata Party would support any decision taken by the NCP and the family of the late Ajit Pawar. Speaking in Nagpur, he said the ruling alliance stands firmly with the Pawar family and the party during this period.
Until the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Sunetra Pawar largely remained away from active politics. She contested the Baramati seat in the general elections as the NCP candidate but lost to her sister-in-law and incumbent MP Supriya Sule of the NCP-Sharadchandra Pawar faction. She was later elected to the Rajya Sabha. The Baramati assembly seat has since fallen vacant following Ajit Pawar’s death.
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]]>The post NCP Candidate Booked for Conducting Ritual Inside Pune Polling Booth appeared first on The Edge Media.
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The complaint was filed after the polling centre in charge approached the authorities, reporting a violation of the model code of conduct.
According to Bhor division, returning officer Prajakta Ghorpade, the ritual took place after the mock poll had been completed. She stated that “performing such acts inside the booth clearly breaches election guidelines.”
She further mentioned that the centre in charge attempted to stop the candidate and his wife from carrying out the ritual, but they continued despite the warnings and performed the puja on the EVM.
A mock poll is conducted before voting begins to ensure that the Electronic Voting Machine is functioning correctly.
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]]>The post Pune Land Deal Worth ₹300 Crore Linked to Ajit Pawar’s Son Sparks Political Controversy and High-Level Probe appeared first on The Edge Media.
]]>Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis described the deal as prima facie serious and confirmed that he has sought detailed information from the concerned departments. Ajit Pawar, however, denied any involvement in the disputed transaction, insisting that he has no connection with it.
The Opposition parties attacked the ruling Mahayuti alliance of the BJP, NCP, and Shiv Sena, demanding a judicial inquiry into what they called a violation of government land laws. The state administration has formed a probe panel led by Additional Chief Secretary (Revenue) Vikas Kharge to investigate the alleged misuse of procedures.
According to officials, the case involves around 40 acres of government-owned Mahar Vatan land located in Pune’s Mundhwa area. The property was reportedly sold to Amadea Enterprises LLP, a private firm in which Parth Pawar is a partner, for ₹300 crore. The land, marked as belonging to the state, was allegedly sold without proper authorization, and stamp duty was waived.
Inspector General of Registration Ravindra Binwade stated that the inquiry would determine how the transfer took place and whether the exemption granted followed legal norms. He confirmed that Sub-Registrar RB Taru from Haveli No 4 office has been suspended for approving the registration without the necessary clearance. The registration was done despite the absence of a no-objection certificate from competent authorities, causing what officials said was a loss to the state exchequer.
The registration documents reportedly showed the land in the name of the Mumbai Government on the 7/12 extract. The sale was executed through a power of attorney involving over 270 individuals who transferred the land to the firm via a Pune resident named Shital Tejwani. Officials added that a tehsildar-rank officer, Suryakant Yewale, already suspended in another case, is also under investigation for allowing the illegal transfer of government land.
In Nagpur, Chief Minister Fadnavis told reporters that the issue appeared serious and that he had ordered a full inquiry. Ajit Pawar reiterated that he had neither directed any officer nor sought any benefit for his family members. He stated that any wrongdoing should be probed by the Chief Minister and clarified that his relatives manage their own business activities independently.
BJP minister Nitesh Rane said that the government would show zero tolerance toward corruption and no one would be spared if found guilty. Industry Minister Uday Samant, however, defended Parth Pawar, saying the firm’s documents appeared legitimate and that his department had no role in granting the incentives or exemptions.
Opposition leaders including Congress’s Vijay Wadettiwar and Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray accused the government of shielding those involved. Wadettiwar alleged that the approval process for the land transfer moved unusually fast through official channels and that stamp duty worth ₹21 crore was waived in record time. Thackeray expressed skepticism about the inquiry, suggesting that the government would ultimately protect the accused.
The investigation led by senior officials is ongoing, with the committee expected to review all related documents and financial exemptions to determine how the public land was transferred and whether the process complied with existing laws.
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]]>The post “BJP leaders should realise that people’s lives are more important than elections” : Nawab Malik appeared first on The Edge Media.
]]>Talking to reporters, NCP’s chief spokesperson and state minister Nawab Malik said the BJP leaders should realise that people’s lives are more important than elections.
Newly-inducted Union ministers Narayan Rane, Bharti Pawar, Kapil Patil, and Bhagwat Karad have embarked on ”Jan Ashirwad” yatras in different parts of Maharashtra to reach out to people and thank them for the BJP’s win in elections in the recent past.
Talking about it, Nawab Malik said although the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), the World Health Organization (WHO) and several experts have appealed that crowding should be avoided to prevent the possible third wave, the BJP was doing exactly the opposite.
“Due to the BJP’s programme of the yatras, there is a threat of the third wave. If COVID-19 rules are violated, cases will be filed against the organisers,” he said.
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