Maharashtra
Sunetra Pawar asserts control, signals tougher leadership within NCP
Mumbai, June 12: Sunetra Pawar’s address at the Nationalist Congress Party’s 27th Foundation Day marks a clear shift in her leadership approach, underlining an effort to consolidate control within the party amid internal churn and external scrutiny.
Stepping out from the long-standing shadow of her late husband, Ajit Pawar, her “no-nonsense” posture signals an aggressive attempt to consolidate power within a party still reeling from internal shifts and external scrutiny.
The speech reflected a transition towards a more assertive and centralised leadership style, with Pawar signalling that accountability would be performance-driven and that indiscipline would not be tolerated.
Moving past the initial phase of mourning following the tragic demise of Ajit Pawar, she is shifting into an aggressive, transactional command structure.
Historically, the NCP’s machinery relied on Ajit Pawar’s micro-management — he knew local block leaders by name and personally handled administrative bottlenecks. Sunetra Pawar knows she cannot replicate that exact style overnight. By framing the party’s survival as a performance-based metric (“pull up socks”), she is shifting accountability downward.
Sunetra Pawar explicitly stated that she would follow Ajit Pawar’s example in taking tough, uncompromising organisational decisions. This is a calculated double-edged sword. By directly invoking her late husband’s legacy of decisive, iron-fisted administration, she seeks immediate legitimacy among loyalists who might otherwise view her as a reluctant or transitional leader.
She is transitioning her image from a grieving widow to a political enforcement mechanism, especially as critics claim that the NCP is functioning under the grip of the BJP, its junior partner in the MahaYuti. By warning that she “will not hesitate to take difficult decisions,” she is setting a clear baseline that her initial period of observing and understanding internal dynamics is officially over.
A major portion of her speech focused on a strict warning against “divisive politics” and caste-based rifts, while explicitly stating that public criticism or “unnecessary interference” that damages the party’s image will face a severe backlash.
She made it clear that while she respects the seniority, she will not operate as a puppet ruler or a placeholder. By stating that she has “understood and tolerated everything until now, but will no longer,” she is drawing a strict boundary between healthy consultation and undermining her ultimate authority as the party head and Deputy Chief Minister.
While framed outwardly as a commitment to secularism and social harmony, her rhetoric acts as an internal disciplinary firewall. The NCP has faced intense public and media scrutiny regarding its political alignments and ideological consistency. Sunetra Pawar is effectively telling the veterans and office-bearers to fall in line. Her warning signals that localised rogue strategies will no longer be tolerated if they compromise the central high command.
Co-signing the strategy highlighted by senior leader Praful Patel, Sunetra Pawar urged the cadre to intensely focus on building infrastructure in urban centers ahead of the impending delimitation (the redrawing of electoral constituency boundaries). This highlights a sharp pragmatic shift.
Historically, the NCP’s core strength has heavily relied on rural agrarian networks, cooperative sugar factories, and local banking systems. Recognising changing demographics, Pawar is attempting to modernise the party’s voter base. It shows a forward-looking calculus — she isn’t just fighting to preserve her current seat; she is planning for an altered electoral map where cities will hold the ultimate veto power in Maharashtra.
Sunetra Pawar’s speech was less about celebrating a foundation day and more about asserting absolute authority. By declaring her willingness to be unpopular for the sake of the organization, she has drawn a clear line in the sand. The coming months will show whether the NCP cadre views this as a genuine strength or overcompensation.
Political observers said that Sunetra Pawar’s speech is a calculated preemptive strike against internal dissent. She has recognized that showing vulnerability or overly relying on an emotional sympathy wave will cause the NCP’s powerful regional bosses to partition the party among themselves.
By threatening a purge of the underperforming and the intrusive, she has staked everything on absolute dominance. “It is a high-risk, high-reward strategy: she will either successfully tame the party’s warring factions, or accelerate its fragmentation,” they remarked.
Maharashtra
Mumbai: Additional manpower to be deployed for birth certificate applications: Additional Municipal Commissioner Prajakta Verma Lovengere

Mumbai: Additional Municipal Commissioner (City) Prajakta Varmalawangire has directed the deployment of additional manpower to ensure prompt processing of birth certificate applications in areas falling under Zone 5 of the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) such as Mankhurd, Shivaji Nagar, Kurla and Chembur. He also directed that the working hours of Citizen Facilitation Centres be increased for the approval of these applications. Today (July 25, 2026), Lavangare reviewed the operations of the health department in the administrative wards of Zone 5 at the BMC’s M West Ward Office in Chembur. The meeting was attended by Deputy Commissioner (Public Health) Sharad Oghade, Deputy Commissioner (Zone 5) Scindia. Assistant Commissioner (M-East) Ujjwal Angole, Assistant Commissioner (M-West) Shankar Bhosale, and Executive Health Officer (Public Health Department) Dr. Daksha Shah. EML Varad East West wards need more effort to process applications related to birth certificates. Varmalawangire directed that applications should be accepted at the Citizen Facilitation Centres from 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM to provide relief to the citizens. He further directed that these centres should remain open on Sundays for the convenience of the public. Assistant Commissioners at the administrative ward level should depute additional manpower to process the applications of the citizens, thus enabling a large number of applications to be processed. Varmalawangire directed that the applications should be processed and resolved within the shortest possible time after they are submitted. Software is being developed by the Mumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to handle applications for new birth certificates and corrections in existing ones. The software will facilitate submission of application details and uploading of relevant documents, while it will also include a dashboard. He directed that the software and dashboard be used to ensure maximum transparency in the birth certificate application process. He also directed that applications related to educational matters be given priority. A large number of applications are being submitted for QR code-based birth certificates required for overseas education and visa processing. He directed that these be resolved immediately.
During today’s meeting, Additional Municipal Commissioner Prajakta Vermalongare reviewed the status of Public Private Partnership (PPP) projects, monsoon-related disease incidents, and capacity expansion and repair works in maternity homes and suburban hospitals. He issued necessary instructions to the health department. The performance of Lokmanya Tilak General Hospital (Saiyan), Govind Shatabdi Hospital, and Maa Hospital (Chembur) was also reviewed. Prajakta Verma-Lawangire directed the department heads to conduct regular reviews to ensure transparency in the functioning of the health administration and prompt resolution of civic issues. He also directed the Assistant Commissioners within the zones to conduct regular site visits.
Maharashtra
‘Victory celebration’ on students’ victory in Mumbai… Demand for action against policemen who tortured students still incomplete: Uddhav Thackeray

A victory celebration has been announced in Mumbai for the historic victory of the students. The protest will continue even after the demand for Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar is met, this stance has been issued by Kakroch Janata Party leader Abhijit Deepke. The victory celebration will now be celebrated with a tricolor march in Mumbai. This was announced by MNS chief Raj Thackeray at a press conference here. He said that now a stage will be prepared near Shivaji Park and the crowd will gather there. There will be no march till Siddhi Vinayak. Raj Thackeray said that this is a big success for the students, this march has been organized to celebrate it. Uddhav Thackeray said that the way Dharmendra Pradhan’s resignation was accepted, his department was not changed after his resignation, this has not been clarified yet, along with this, the students are not satisfied with the resignation itself, the demand for action against the police personnel and officers who tortured the students by registering a case has not been fulfilled. The way the students were brutalized is completely wrong, but the students were steadfast and not only that, they endured hardships during the protest and this is the reason why the government had to bow down before these students. Uddhav Thackeray said that the way the government thought that it would not bow down before anyone, but the students forced it, a victory celebration will be celebrated in Mumbai to express sympathy with the students and a traditional tricolor rally will be held. Uddhav Thackeray said that a future plan of action should be prepared after talking to Abhijeet Deepika.
Maharashtra
Mumbai Shivaji Park Tricolor March: Important meeting of senior officers with Police Commissioner, police security arrangements tightened, necessary instructions issued

Mumbai: Police are also ready for the Tricolour rally in Mumbai’s Shivaji Park. To express sympathy with the student protest at Delhi’s Jantar Mantar, Thackeray brother has organized a Tricolour march in which lakhs of protesters are expected to participate. In such a situation, the police have also claimed to have made strict security arrangements in the area. The police are being vigilant and are monitoring the situation to ensure that no untoward incident occurs during the Tricolour march. Along with monitoring the route for the Tricolour march, a meeting of senior officers including the Additional Police Commissioner was also held today under the chairmanship of Mumbai Police Commissioner Devin Bharti, in which instructions were also issued to ensure security arrangements related to order and protest demonstration. There is a long series of protests at Shivaji Park in Mumbai city. It has also been identified where protesters can gather in Shivaji Park during the Tricolour March in Mumbai city and suburbs. In addition, protests have started across the state. In the case of NET exam paper leak, students have demanded the resignation of Education Minister Dhirendra Pradhan and the students are standing by their stand. The police are also on alert due to the Tricolour March in Mumbai city and suburbs. Police deployment has also been ensured on the traffic route during the protest demonstration in Shivaji Park, along with necessary orders have also been issued. The police have taken necessary steps due to the protests of students in Mumbai and the state, along with necessary instructions have also been issued to senior police officers in this regard. It is estimated that students from other areas of Mumbai such as Kurla, Chambor, Byculla, Andheri, Malad Maloni, Jogeshwari and other areas are also participating in the protest. Attempts to disrupt or disrupt the Tricolour March are tolerable. If anyone does so, they will be given a response, MNS chief Raj Thackeray has warned, saying that if there is an attempt to disrupt the situation in Mumbai on the lines of Delhi, it will not be tolerated at all. Protests are ongoing in Mumbai, and the police are also on alert.
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