Sunetra Pawar Seeks Uddhav Thackeray’s Support For Baramati Bypoll

Last Updated:April 04, 2026, 11:41 IST

Sunetra, who is the DCM at present, will have to get elected in either House of the legislature within six months of assuming office as the DCM.

Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has reached out to Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray, seeking his support ahead of filing her nomination for the Baramati bypoll on April 6. According to sources, Sunetra Pawar spoke to Thackeray over the phone and sought backing for the upcoming election.

The development comes amid speculation that the Congress may field a candidate against her in the bypoll. The outreach has sparked political interest in the run-up to the Baramati contest, with nomination filing scheduled for April 6.

She is set to contest from Baramati after the seat fell vacant due to the demise of her husband and and former Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a tragic air crash in January. Sunetra, who is the DCM at present, will have to get elected in either House of the legislature within six months of assuming office as the DCM.

The NCP has intensified its preparations in Baramati, a constituency long regarded as the Pawar family’s stronghold. Two large meetings have already been held in the area, while Sunetra Pawar’s son, Jay Pawar, is expected to play a more active political role during the elections. He is scheduled to hold a review meeting in Baramati on Saturday (April 4, 2026).

Nationalist Congress Party (SP), has already declared that it will not field a candidate against a family member. The Assembly seat was traditionally held for eight consecutive terms by Ajit Pawar.

Meanwhile, Maharashtra Congress president Harshawardhan Sapkal has said that if the NCP (SP) does not contest the Baramati bypoll, the Congress will field its own candidate. The party has also begun exploring potential candidates for the seat.

Shiv Sena UBT leader Sanjay Raut said, “Two bypolls are going to take place. In Rahuri and in Baramati. We will try that decision should be taken as an alliance. In Rahuri, NCP SP had fought the election earlier. It has its claim there. MVA’s basic tenet is that the party which holds strength in a particular constituency should fight the polls there. In Baramati, after Ajit Pawar’s death, the Pawar family may not contest the polls as family dharma. But they should not oppose others who want to fight the polls there. This is a democracy. We will sit together and decide."

News india Sunetra Pawar Seeks Uddhav Thackeray’s Support For Baramati Bypoll

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