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New Delhi, 9 April. Parth Pawar, son of former Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra and late Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) leader Ajit Pawar, took oath as a Rajya Sabha member here on Thursday. Rajya Sabha Chairman CP Radhakrishnan administered the oath to Parth in the Parliament House. 35-year-old Parth Pawar took oath in English. During this, House leader J.P. Nadda, Congress Chief Whip Jairam Ramesh and many other leaders were present.

It is noteworthy that Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28 this year. Before Parth, Ajit Pawar’s wife Sunetra Pawar was elected Rajya Sabha member, but later left her post after becoming the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra. After this Parth Pawar was elected to Rajya Sabha. Earlier in 2019, he had contested the elections from Maval Lok Sabha seat, but he had to face defeat.

Unopposed election of Sunetra Pawar fixed in Baramati by-election, 23 candidates including Congress withdrew their names

Meanwhile, in a political development in Maharashtra, Sunetra Pawar’s unopposed election in the proposed by-election on Baramati assembly seat is almost certain, when on the last day of withdrawal of nominations, the Congress party decided to withdraw the name of its candidate Akash Vishwanath More. Till the last news was received from Baramati election battle, a total of 23 candidates had withdrawn their names.

Congress had made advocate Akash More its candidate.

It is noteworthy that Congress had declared advocate Akash More as its candidate for Baramati by-election. Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge had approved his candidature, formal information about which was given by General Secretary K.C. Venugopal had given it on April 5. However, now the party has strategically decided to withdraw from the elections.

Ajit Pawar’s legacy and sympathy wave

It is noteworthy that Baramati seat is considered the stronghold of Pawar family. Ajit Pawar had won from here eight consecutive times. In the 2024 assembly elections, he had secured a huge lead of more than one lakh 81 thousand votes while contesting against 24 candidates, which also included his nephew Yogendra Pawar.

A wave of sympathy is clearly visible in the area in this by-election being held after the death of Ajit Pawar. Amidst this emotional atmosphere, his wife and current Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar was made the candidate.

Interestingly, from the very beginning there was an appeal to make Sunetra Pawar win unopposed. Even Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis had appealed to the Congress to withdraw the name of its candidate. At the same time, NCP (SP) MLA and Ajit Pawar’s nephew Rohit Pawar had also met Maharashtra Congress President Harshvardhan Sapkal and requested him to withdraw the nomination of his candidate, so that Sunetra Pawar can be elected unopposed in the Baramati by-election.

Election on 23 April

It is noteworthy that along with Baramati, voting for Rahuri assembly seat was to be held on April 23, while the counting of votes was to take place on May 4, 2026. However, now with the withdrawal of names of all the candidates, Sunetra Pawar’s victory is considered certain.