Sunetra Pawar likely to be elected unopposed in Baramati bypoll

Mumbai: The by-election to Baramati, necessitated by the death of Ajit Pawar, is likely to be unopposed with the late leader's wife, Maharashtra deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar contesting the polls.

Maharashtra will witness two by-elections on 23 April, Baramati (Pune) and Rahuri (Ahilyanagar), due to vacancies following the deaths of Ajit Pawar and BJP’s Shivaji Kardile, respectively.

Ajit Pawar (66), the then NCP president, an eight-term MLA of Baramati and six-time deputy chief minister, died on 28 January when the chartered business jet he was on crashed while landing at the Baramati airport.

Three days later, on 30 January, his wife Sunetra Pawar (62) was elected the NCP legislature party leader and sworn in as the deputy chief minister in the BJP-led Maha Yuti government headed by Devendra Fadnavis.

On 26 February, Sunetra Pawar was unanimously elected as the NCP national president in her late husband’s place.

In the 2024 Maharashtra Legislative Assembly elections, Ajit Pawar won the Baramati seat by 1,00,899 votes over his nephew and NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar. He polled 1,81,132 votes while Yugendra polled 80,233 votes.Ajit Pawar, has won the Baramati seat in 1991, 1995, 1999, 2004, 2009, 2014, 2019 and 2024 which underlines his deep connection with the electorate and his ability to stage comebacks against odds.

The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP), which is part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, had earlier indicated that it would not put up candidates in the election.

“It is my request to all the political leaders and political parties to ensure that Sunetra Pawar is elected unopposed from Baramati…I am making this request without consulting my party for which I tender apology…however, it is everybody’s desire,” said NCP (SP) leader and MLA Rohit Pawar said last month.

Sunetra Pawar is currently neither an MLA nor an MLC, and is constitutionally required to secure a seat in the state legislature within six months of being sworn in as deputy chief minister.

Sunetra Pawar will also resign the Rajya Sabha seat.