Voting for the high-profile Baramati Assembly bypoll in Maharashtra witnessed strong participation from members of the influential Pawar family, with emotions running high as leaders and voters remembered late NCP leader Ajit Pawar, whose death earlier this year led to the election.
The bypoll was necessitated after Ajit Pawar, a six-time Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, died in a tragic plane crash on January 28, leaving a major political vacuum in the state and particularly in his stronghold of Baramati. The constituency has long been associated with the Pawar family, making the by-election both politically significant and emotionally charged.
On polling day, Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s and political successor, cast her vote in Baramati’s Katewadi area, reinforcing the family’s continued dominance in the region. She has emerged as a central figure in the party after her husband’s demise and is widely seen as carrying forward his legacy.
Other members of the Pawar clan also exercised their franchise. NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) MLA Rohit Pawar cast his vote and spoke to the media, recalling Ajit Pawar’s political influence. He remarked that if circumstances had been different and party factions had reunited, Ajit Pawar could have potentially risen to become Maharashtra’s Chief Minister in the future. His statement underlined the enduring impact Ajit Pawar continues to have on the state’s political discourse even after his passing.
However, veteran leader Sharad Pawar was unable to vote in the bypoll due to health issues. He had earlier urged voters to support Sunetra Pawar, indicating a rare moment of unity and respect within the otherwise divided NCP factions.
The Baramati bypoll has drawn statewide attention not only because of its political importance but also due to its emotional undertones. The election is being seen as a test of the Pawar family’s unity and continued influence in Maharashtra politics.
With voters turning out in significant numbers, the by-election reflects both a democratic exercise and a tribute to Ajit Pawar’s long-standing legacy in Baramati. As the state awaits the results, the contest has once again highlighted how deeply personal and political narratives are intertwined in Maharashtra’s electoral landscape.
