Congress’ downfall will start from Baramati if Sunetra Pawar doesn't win unopposed: Bawankule

The Congress will have to face consequences if it doesn't allow Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar to win the Baramati assembly bypoll, Bawankule said.

Nagpur: The Congress will have to face consequences if it doesn't allow NCP president and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar to win the Baramati assembly bypoll unopposed, said minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Thursday.

The party's "downfall" will start from Baramati, he said, stressing that the people of Baramati and Maharashtra wish that she is elected unopposed, said the BJP leader.

The April 23 bye election was necessitated after the tragic death of deputy CM Ajit Pawar, who headed the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28. After his death, his wife Sunetra became the party president.

The NCP, BJP and the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena are partners in the ruling Mahayuti alliance in the state.

"The Congress will face consequences if it doesn't let Sunetra win unopposed from Baramati. Its downfall will start from Baramati if it doesn't withdraw its candidate," Bawankule told reporters in Nagpur.

Amid efforts to ensure an unopposed contest, the Congress has fielded advocate Akash More for the bypoll.

The party had said that it would withdraw from the contest only if an FIR were registered in Ajit Pawar's death in the Baramati plane crash.

Replying to another question, Bawankule said the BJP's performance will be more robust in Assam and Kerala elections compared to the last assembly polls in these states. Assembly polls are being held in a single phase in Assam, Kerala and Puducherry on Thursday.

"These elections will once again show Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership commanding support among the people," he said.