Deputy CM meets Fadnavis for Baramati bypoll, gets full support assurance, say sources

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP president Sunetra Pawar met Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Wednesday to discuss the strategy and campaign for the April 23 Baramati assembly bypoll she is contesting.

Sources said Fadnavis assured Sunetra Pawar of full support from the BJP as an “elder brother”.

Sunetra Pawar was accompanied by her son Parth Pawar and other NCP leaders, sources said. The meeting discussed campaigning and strategy for the bypoll, which became necessary after the then Deputy CM Ajit Pawar was killed in a plane crash. He had represented the constituency eight times. Despite appeals made by ruling parties to ensure an unopposed election as a tribute to Ajit Pawar, the opposition Congress has fielded a candidate. A total of 53 candidates, including Sunetra Pawar and Congress’s Akash More, have filed their nominations. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 9.

The Congress had said that it would withdraw from the contest only if an FIR is registered into Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash in January.  However, the run-up to the contest turned acrimonious after Parth Pawar criticised Congress for fielding a candidate and predicted the party’s “downfall”. The Congress hit back, terming Parth as an “ungrateful son”. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar and the party MP Supriya Sule have observed that being an independent political party, the Congress has every right to contest the bypoll.