Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday appealed to all political parties to support an unopposed bypoll in the Baramati assembly constituency. The by-election has been necessitated after the death of former Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) president Ajit Pawar in a plane crash. Fadnavis urged parties to come together and back his wife, Sunetra Pawar, who is currently serving as the deputy chief minister.

He stressed that such a move would uphold the political traditions of Maharashtra. According to him, there is a long-standing convention in the state where parties avoid contesting elections against the family members of a deceased leader in bypolls held under such circumstances. He highlighted the importance of showing unity and respect during such times.

Recalling a similar instance from the past, Fadnavis referred to the by-election held after the death of former state home minister R R Patil. In that case, Patil’s wife, Suman Patil, was elected unopposed from the Tasgaon-Kavathe Mahankal assembly constituency in 2015. By citing this example, he reinforced his appeal for consensus in the Baramati bypoll.

"All parties should show a large-hearted approach and ensure the by-election is held unopposed," Fadnavis told reporters.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which leads the ruling Mahayuti alliance in Maharashtra, is in power along with the NCP and Shiv Sena. The alliance is backing Sunetra Pawar as its candidate for the Baramati seat.

Sources from the NCP have indicated that Sunetra Pawar, who is currently a Rajya Sabha member, will file her nomination on April 6. The by-election for the Baramati assembly seat is scheduled for April 23 in Pune district.

Ajit Pawar, who had represented Baramati for several years, was an eight-time MLA from the constituency. He had a strong political base in the region and maintained a dominant presence in state politics. On January 28, he died in a tragic plane crash near the Baramati airstrip, along with four others.

In terms of electoral performance, Ajit Pawar had secured the Baramati seat with a significant margin in previous elections. In the 2019 assembly polls, he won by a margin of 1.65 lakh votes, which was one of the highest in the state. He continued his dominance in the 2024 elections as well, winning by over one lakh votes against his nephew, Yugendra Pawar.

Following his death, Sunetra Pawar was sworn in as the deputy chief minister of Maharashtra on January 31. She later took over as the president of the Nationalist Congress Party on February 26, being unanimously elected to the post.

While there appears to be support from some quarters for an unopposed election, not all parties are on the same page. The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) has already announced that it will not contest the Baramati bypoll. However, its ally, the Congress party, has indicated that it does not want the election to go uncontested, suggesting that a political contest may still take place.

Apart from Baramati, another bypoll is scheduled in the Rahuri assembly constituency in Ahilyanagar district. This by-election has been necessitated due to the death of BJP MLA Shivaji Kardile. The political situation in Rahuri is expected to be different, with a likely contest among parties.

Overall, Fadnavis’ appeal reflects an attempt to maintain a political tradition rooted in consensus and respect. However, differing positions among parties indicate that achieving an unopposed outcome in Baramati may still require further discussions and agreement.