Pune: The results of the Baramati and Rahuri assembly bypolls will be declared on Monday. NCP functionaries are hopeful of a record victory for party chief and deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar from Baramati.“We are confident of a clear win and are expecting a record margin,” said Sandip Bandal, president of NCP’s Baramati unit. “Not just in the state, I feel Sunetratai could register one of the highest victory margins in the country,” he said. The party has decided against organising any celebration. The bypoll was necessitated by the death of former deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on Jan 28. Barring independents, no major political party fielded a candidate against Sunetra as a mark of respect. Congress, which had initially announced a nominee, withdrew on the last day of filing of nominations. Bandal said the ground sentiment had strongly been in favour of Sunetra. “Except for 5,000-6,000 votes, almost all votes will go to her,” he claimed. Polling for the byelection was held on April 23, with the constituency recording a turnout of 58.2%. A total of 2,23,705 voters exercised their franchise, according to Election Commission data. Baramati has long been a stronghold of the Pawar family. Except for the first assembly election in 1962, the seat has consistently been held by a member of the family. Sharad Pawar represented the constituency from 1967-95, followed by Ajit Pawar from 1995. In 2019, Ajit Pawar won the seat by a record margin of 1,65,265 votes, defeating BJP’s Gopichand Padalkar. It is the highest victory margin recorded in an assembly election in Maharashtra so far. In Rahuri assembly constituency in Ahilyanagar district, BJP and NCP (SP) have locked horns. The bypoll was ordered after the death of sitting MLA Shivajirao Kardile. His son, Akshay, is contesting on a BJP ticket, facing NCP (SP)’s Govind Mokate and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi’s Santosh Chalke.
