The bypoll for the Baramati assembly seat in the Pune district was necessitated following the death of then Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party – NCP chief Ajit Pawar, who passed away in an air crash on 28th January. His wife and Deputy Chief Minister, Sunetra Pawar, is contesting from this seat. While the MahaVikas Aghadi has not fielded any candidate, there are are 22 other candidates in the fray.
While NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, currently admitted to Mumbai’s Breach Candy Hospital, missed today’s voting, the other members of the family, including Supriya Sule and Rohit Pawar, cast their franchise. Sunetra Pawar and her two sons, Jay and Parth, also voted earlier this morning.
Meanwhile, the bypoll for Rahuri assembly seat in Ahilyanagar district was necessitated following the death of BJP MLA Shivaji Kardile in October last year. His son and BJP candidate, Akshay Kardile, is in the fray along with NCP (SP) candidate Govind Mokate and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’s Santosh Chalke.
Counting of votes will take place on 4th May. In the 2024 assembly polls, the ruling coalition had swept the elections, with the BJP winning 132 seats, Shiv Sena – 52 and the NCP – 41 in the 288-member Maharashtra assembly.
