PUNE: Deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar on Monday filed nomination for the Baramati bypoll, the traditional seat of the Pawar family, which is left vacant after Ajit Pawar’s death in a plane crash on Jan 28 this year.Before filing her nomination in Baramati, Sunetra addressed a rally of NCP supporters wherein, in an emotional message to party workers, she said, “I never thought that a day would arrive where I would have to file nomination for the bypoll. It has been two months since Ajit dada left all of us, but I feel he is still with us. I will try my best to continue his legacy through hard work.”Against the backdrop of speculations of a rift within the NCP, the senior members of the party displayed a show of unity while Sunetra filed her nomination, where national working president Praful Patel, state president Sunil Tatkare, senior members including Chhagan Bhujbal, Hasan Mushrif, Dhananjay Munde accompanied the party chief during filing her nomination.Even the members of Mahayuti, including deputy chief minister Eknath Shinde, senior BJP member Chandrashekhar Bawankule, also were present with Sunetra in Baramati on Monday. Both Shinde and Bawankule appealed to the Congress party to rethink its decision of fielding a candidate against Sunetra.Sunetra succeeded her husband, late Ajit Pawar, as NCP chief as well as in the state cabinet as deputy chief minister. Now she is set to represent the traditional seat of the Pawar family, the Baramati seat, which Ajit Pawar represented for eight consecutive terms. Election Commission has announced bypolls for Baramati and Rahuri assembly seats following the passing away of Ajit Pawar and BJP MLA Shivajirao Kardile, who represented those seats in the assembly, respectively. Monday was the final day for filing of the nominations, and the voting for these seats will take place on April 23 and the results will be announced on May 4.
