The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) has finalised Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar as its candidate for the Baramati Assembly by-election, which was held was NCP chief Ajit Pawar. The decision was taken during a key party meeting held on Tuesday, sources said.
Baramati assembly seat fell vacant after the sudden death of her husband and former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on January 28.
In the 2024 Assembly elections, Ajit Pawar won the Baramati seat by 1,00,899 votes over his nephew and NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar. He polled 1,81,132 votes while Yugendra polled 80,233 votes.
Parth Pawar's nomination to Rajya Sabha
At the same meeting, the party leadership also finalised Parth Pawar's nomination to the Rajya Sabha.
He will replace his mother, Sunetra Pawar, in the Upper House. Sunetra has stepped in as the deputy chief minister in the Mahayuti government in Maharashtra following her husband's death.
Elections to seven Rajya Sabha vacancies in Maharashtra are scheduled to be held on March 16.
NCP to elect Sunetra Pawar as party chief
Meanwhile, the NCP is set to elect its new national president on Thursday (February 26). The election has been scheduled to take place this evening at the Worli Dome in Mumbai, where party MLAs, MPs, and senior office bearers will be present.
Party sources confirmed that Sunetra Pawar's name will be formally approved as the national president. Her elevation comes in the wake of recent developments within the party following the death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash, after which the leadership unanimously agreed on her name for the top organisational post.
Sunetra Pawar currently serves as Deputy Chief Minister in the government and is also the leader of the legislative party.
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