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.
Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis on Saturday urged all political parties to support Sunetra Pawar saying that earlier also there have been several unopposed elections in the state. The Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction) has also indicated a similar stand, saying it may not field a candidate against a member of the Pawar family. Baramati has long been considered a stronghold of the Pawar family.
The bypoll has been necessitated after the tragic death of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar in an air crash earlier this year. Sunetra Pawar is expected to contest from the seat and will need to win an election within six months to continue in her current post.
Sunetra Pawar, who took oath as Deputy Chief Minister after Ajit Pawar's passing, has been given the responsibility of the departments such as State Excise, Sports and Youth Welfare, Minority Affairs, and Waqf. According to the government order, Sunetra Pawar has been allotted the following for office use