The Congress on Sunday (April 5) announced Akash More as its candidate for the upcoming bypoll to the Baramati Assembly constituency in Maharashtra, which was necessitated due to the death of Deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in January. The by-election, scheduled for April 23, will see More contesting against Maharashtra Deputy CM and NCP chief Sunetra Pawar.
Akash More is the Secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee. His father, Vijayrao More, was a Member of the Maharashtra Legislative Council (MLC).
Notably, the Congress is part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) with NCP (SP) and Sena (UBT).
Sunetra Pawar dialed state Congress chief
Earlier in the day, Sunetra Pawar had dialed state Congress chief Harshwardhan Sapkal and urged him to ensure an unopposed bypoll to the Baramati assembly segment, which she is contesting.
A day earlier, Sunetra Pawar had sought the support of Uddhav Thackeray for the April 23 bypoll. However, Thackeray, whose Shiv Sena (UBT) is part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), has not yet clarified the party’s stand on her request.
Meanwhile, the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) (NCP-SP) has already announced that it will not contest the by-election as a mark of respect for the late Ajit Pawar, who represented the Baramati constituency.
Sunetra Pawar to file nominations on Monday
Sunetra Pawar, currently a Rajya Sabha member, is set to file her nomination for the Baramati bypoll on Monday.
Her late husband, Ajit Pawar, was an eight-time MLA from Baramati. In the 2019 Assembly elections, he had won the seat by a margin of 1.65 lakh votes, and in 2024, he retained it with a lead of over one lakh votes, defeating his nephew Yugendra Pawar.
Apart from Baramati, another assembly seat - Rahuri in Ahilyanagar district - will also witness a bypoll on April 23. It was necessitated due to the death of BJP legislator Shivaji Kardile.
Also Read: Sunetra Pawar reaches out to Uddhav Thackeray ahead of Baramati bypoll
Also Read: Maharashtra Assembly bypolls 2026: Baramati and Rahuri seats to vote on April 23, results on May 4
