Baramati and Rahuri Assembly bypolls in Maharashtra are set for vote counting on Monday, May 4, with all preparations in place. In Baramati, counting will take place at the Maharashtra State Warehousing Corporation facility, where authorities have completed logistical arrangements. Security has been tightened at counting centres, with CCTV surveillance in place, and separate arrangements made for candidates’ representatives.
The Baramati bypoll is being closely watched, largely due to the candidature of Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar, who is contesting on behalf of the Nationalist Congress Party. She is up against 22 candidates, mostly from smaller parties and independents. A total of 342 polling stations were set up for the election. Voter turnout remained relatively low, with around 58 per cent polling recorded, translating to approximately 2.23 lakh voters exercising their franchise.
Counting in Baramati will begin at 8 am, with 20 tables assigned for EVM counting, two for postal ballots and three for ETPBS. In total, the process will be carried out across 25 tables.
Meanwhile, preparations for counting in the Rahuri Assembly bypoll have also been completed. The counting will take place over 27 rounds, with initial trends expected around 9 am and a clearer picture likely to emerge by the afternoon.
The Rahuri bypoll has seen a competitive contest. NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) candidate Govind Mokate is considered a strong contender, while BJP’s Akshay Kardile has also projected confidence in his campaign. Other candidates include Santosh Cholke from the Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi and Raosaheb Khevre, a rebel candidate from the Shiv Sena (Uddhav Balasaheb Thackeray faction), adding further complexity to the race.
The by-election in Rahuri was necessitated following the demise of Shivaji Kardile. The BJP has fielded his son, Akshay Kardile, as its candidate. A key development in this contest was the withdrawal of Parajakt Tanpure, a traditional rival who had contested against Kardile in the previous three elections. His decision to step aside has significantly altered the dynamics of the contest.
Follow this live blog for all the latest updates on Baramati and Rahuri bypoll results, counting trends and key developments.
