Battle for Baramati: Sunetra Pawar files nomination, Sharad Pawar’s photo displayed during NCP rally

During the rally preceding the nomination filing, NCP SP leader Sharad Pawar’s photo was displayed along with Narendra Modi and Amit Shah’s photo

A visibly emotional Sunetra Pawar on Monday (April 6, 2026) filed her nomination as the Nationalist Congress Party candidate from Baramati for the upcoming bypolls, amid a show of strength by the party. She was flanked by Mahayuti leaders Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde and BJP cabinet minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule. None of the Pawar family members from NCP SP were seen during the nomination rally in Baramati. This was months after her husband Ajit Pawar lost his life in a tragic air crash, leading to the declaration of the by-polls for Baramati.

But, during the rally preceding the nomination filing, NCP SP leader Sharad Pawar’s photo was displayed along with Narendra Modi and Amit Shah’s photo. Sharad Pawar later told reporters in Delhi that it was wrong to show his photo on the NCP platform.

Before filing her nomination, Sunetra Pawar delivered an emotional speech in the presence of all the senior NCP leaders. “Baramati was Ajit dada’s breath. And he took his last breath too in the same soil. To him, each voter was his Pandurang,” she said, adding that she had locked her grief to stand with courage for the people of Baramati and for the party workers. “I want to admit it humbly that your love, your support, is my strength. This is the first election in Ajit Dada’s absence. Baramati is not just a constituency for me. It is my identity. Its progress is my drive. This is not my election, this is the election of the people of Baramati,” she said.

Differences within NCP

While senior NCP leaders Praful Patel and Sunil Tatkare said that they will speak to the Congress leadership to make the election unopposed, Sunetra Pawar’s son Parth said he will not speak with the Congress for seeking this. This led to speculations about differences within the party. Sharad Pawar, while speaking on the issue in Delhi, said that every party has the right to give a candidate in an election. “There is no need to demand unopposed election. In a democracy, when one decides to fight election, one has to admit that there will be candidates in opposition,” he said.

Not unopposed

BJP leader and cabinet minister Chandrashekhar Bawankule on Monday (April 6, 2026) appealed to all the parties that they should support to make this election unopposed. After Congress’ candidate Akash More filed his nomination, Mr. Bawankule said that the national party had gone against the political culture of Maharashtra, and was slated to face one of its biggest defeats.

Meanwhile, Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut conveyed the party’s wishes to Sunetra Pawar, and added that it was not wrong to give a candidate in an election. Targeting the BJP, he said that the party had earlier given candidates during previous instances of such elections, much against the political culture of Maharashtra. “It wants to seek unopposed election when it is convenient for the party. But it was Devendra Fadnavis who had given candidates in the past,” he said.

Sharad Pawar won’t campaign for Sunetra Pawar

After the NCP SP refused to give a candidate against Sunetra Pawar, Sharad Pawar was asked if he will now campaign for his daughter-in-law. Refusing the possibility, he said, “We have not given a candidate against her. She had fought against Supriya Sule in the last Lok Sabha election. Supriya got elected by over 1.5 lakh votes. We didn’t mind it,” he said. He added that as the head of the family, the entire responsibility was on his shoulders, and that he was fulfilling it.