Sunetra Pawar seeks Thackeray’s backing for Baramati bypoll

Sunetra Pawar has reached out to Uddhav Thackeray seeking support for the upcoming Baramati Assembly by-election, signalling a possible shift in political alignments amid an emotionally charged atmosphere following the death of her husband, Ajit Pawar.

The Baramati bypoll, scheduled for 23 April, was necessitated after Ajit Pawar, an eight-time MLA from the constituency, died in a plane crash earlier this year. Sunetra Pawar, who was subsequently sworn in as Deputy Chief Minister and later became president of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is set to contest the seat.

According to leaders from Shiv Sena (UBT), Pawar spoke to Thackeray on Friday to discuss the election. Party representatives confirmed that the matter is under consideration, with Thackeray expected to announce his decision soon. Sources indicated that he may be open to supporting her candidature, citing longstanding personal ties between the Thackeray and Pawar families.

The development comes at a time when the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA)—comprising Shiv Sena (UBT), Congress, and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP)—appears divided on its approach to the bypoll.

While the NCP (SP) has already decided not to field a candidate against Sunetra Pawar, the state Congress unit has signalled its intent to contest, claiming it has received approval from the party leadership and has begun evaluating potential candidates.

Senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut suggested that while his party would consider its position, it would not interfere if the Congress chose to go ahead independently. He also indicated that Thackeray may hold discussions with Congress leaders before finalising a decision.

Meanwhile, senior NCP leader Sunil Tatkare has appealed to all political parties to allow the by-election to be held unopposed, citing the emotional circumstances surrounding Ajit Pawar’s passing. He said such a move would honour the legacy of the late leader and uphold the state’s political traditions.

Ajit Pawar had represented Baramati for decades, winning the seat by large margins in successive elections. His absence has left a significant political vacuum in the constituency, making the upcoming bypoll both symbolically and politically important.

Sunetra Pawar is expected to file her nomination papers on 6 April, as political negotiations continue in the lead-up to the contest.

With PTI inputs