With the swearing in of Sunetra Pawar as Maharashtra’s 13th Deputy Chief Minister and the first woman to hold the post, attention has again turned to a position that has no place in the Constitution but plays a major role in the state’s politics. Formally, a Deputy Chief Minister is only a Cabinet minister with an additional title. In practice, in Maharashtra’s coalition-driven and faction-heavy politics, the post has become a key tool for sharing power, managing alliances and signalling political weight within the government.
What is the post of Deputy Chief Minister?
The Constitution provides for a Council of Ministers headed by the Chief Minister, but it does not mention a Deputy Chief Minister. In legal terms, a Deputy CM is only a Cabinet minister appointed under Article 164 who is given an additional title by the ruling party or coalition. The post has no separate powers and does not rank above other Cabinet ministers.
If it has no Constitutional status, why does the post exist?
Although the post has no Constitutional standing, it exists for political reasons. Governments appoint Deputy Chief Ministers to balance coalition partners, manage rival leaders within parties, give representation to regions or communities, and signal how power is being shared. As coalition governments became more common after the end of one-party dominance, the post emerged as a practical way to distribute authority without altering the formal structure of government.
Maharashtra first created the post of Deputy Chief Minister in 1978, when Nashikrao Tirpude took office during a phase of political instability, followed by short tenures under Congress and breakaway Congress regimes. The position acquired real political weight in 1995, when Gopinath Munde served as Deputy CM in the Shiv Sena-BJP government, turning it into a centre of authority rather than a mere balancing post.
Under Congress-NCP coalitions after 1999, the office became institutionalised as a power sharing device, with leaders such as Chhagan Bhujbal, R R Patil and especially Ajit Pawar, the longest serving Deputy CM, using it as a key base of influence. Since 2019, fractured mandates and party splits have led to experiments with multiple Deputy CMs, including Devendra Fadnavis and Eknath Shinde, and this year the office enters a new phase with Sunetra Pawar becoming the first woman to hold the post. This underlines how the role has evolved from a temporary adjustment into a central instrument of coalition management and power sharing in Maharashtra.
Why is the post important in Maharashtra?
The post carries greater importance in Maharashtra than in many other states because of the way power has been structured in the state. Maharashtra has been ruled for long periods by coalition governments, making power sharing arrangements necessary for stability. Deputy Chief Ministers have therefore often been given key portfolios such as Finance or Home, which place them in charge of crucial decisions on spending, law and order and administration.
Can a Deputy CM override the Chief Minister?
No. Legally, a Deputy CM is equal to other Cabinet ministers. The Chief Minister remains the head of the government, and the Deputy CM has no special constitutional authority.
In practice, a Deputy CM’s influence depends on the portfolio allocated, control over party MLAs, standing within the ruling coalition, and ability to negotiate between factions. A Deputy CM with Finance or Home can wield far more influence than one with a minor department.
Curated by Shiv Shakti Mishra
