Thu Apr 09 14:20:44 UTC 2026: # Congress Withdraws from Baramati Bypoll Following Ajit Pawar’s Death
The Story:
The Maharashtra Congress, led by president Harshwardhan Sapkal, announced on April 9, 2026, that it will not contest the upcoming Baramati Assembly by-election. This decision follows the death of Ajit Pawar, the former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) MLA from Baramati, in a plane crash in January 2026. Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s wife and current Deputy CM, is slated to contest the by-election as the Mahayuti candidate. The bypoll is scheduled for April 23, 2026.
Key Points:
* The Maharashtra Congress will not participate in the Baramati Assembly by-election.
* The by-election was triggered by the death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in January 2026.
* Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s wife and the current Deputy CM, will be the Mahayuti candidate.
* The bypoll is scheduled for April 23, 2026.
Key Takeaways:
* The Congress party’s decision to withdraw suggests a strategic assessment of their chances in Baramati, potentially indicating a low probability of success against the sympathy vote and incumbency advantage associated with Sunetra Pawar.
* The uncontested nature of the election significantly strengthens Sunetra Pawar’s position and reinforces the Pawar family’s political dominance in Baramati.
* The event highlights the fluidity of political alliances in Maharashtra, with the Mahayuti coalition capitalizing on the circumstances following Ajit Pawar’s death.
First Piper 