Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has taken a commanding lead in the Baramati Assembly by-election, with her victory now appearing certain as vote counting continues on Monday, May 4. After the 12th round of counting, NCP candidate Pawar was leading by 1,03,709 votes. She secured 8,057 votes in the 12th round alone. Counting for all 23 rounds is expected to conclude by around 2.30 pm.
Earlier, at the end of the 6th round, Sunetra Pawar had secured 53,478 votes. Among the other candidates, R.Y. Ghutukade of the New Rashtriya Samaj Party received 228 votes, while Hindustan Janata Party candidate Satish Kadam secured 47 votes. Independent candidate Karuna Munde received 68 votes and Abhijit Bichukale got 65 votes.
"A humble request to all the supporters who love Dada dearly: please do not take out any processions or spray gulal to celebrate this victory. Let us maintain restraint and conduct ourselves in a manner that reflects Dada's ideals," said Sunetra Ajit Pawar.
Sunetra thanks all voters of Baramati and argue for no celebration or rally for party workers. She stated that result is not the end, but the “beginning”.
“There is no election in that sense. All of us in the Mahavikas Aghadi have supported Sunetra Pawar. Some independent candidates are in the electoral fray; that is why elections are being held,” said Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut on Baramati By-poll Election 2026.
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A voter turnout of 58.27% was recorded in the Baramati Assembly constituency. Counting of votes began at 8 am.
The Baramati seat in Pune district fell vacant following the death of former Deputy Chief Minister and Nationalist Congress Party president Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on January 28.
Sunetra Pawar’s Son Jay Pawar Arrives at Counting Centre
Sunetra Pawar, who is contesting her first Assembly election, was fielded by the Nationalist Congress Party faction led by Ajit Pawar. During the campaign, she appealed to voters to support her as a tribute to her late husband.
No major political party fielded a candidate against her in the by-election, and political observers had widely predicted a comfortable victory for the Pawar family, which has maintained strong influence in the constituency for decades.