Maharashtra’s Baramati Assembly constituency, where Deputy Chief Minister and NCP chief Sunetra Pawar is contesting, recorded a provisional voter turnout of 58.17%, while Rahuri seat recorded 55.87% and Umrith in Gujarat 59.04%, according to data shared by the Election Commission of India (ECI) till 11pm on Thursday.
Transfers to Baramati became necessary after the death of then Deputy Prime Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar, who was the Member of Parliament from the constituency, in a plane crash on January 28.
The election is largely seen as a one-sided contest, with Sunetra Pawar emerging as the dominant contender in the absence of a strong challenge from the opposition.
Of the 23 candidates in the electoral battle, 22 are independent. The opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi did not field a candidate. The Congress had earlier fielded Akash More but the party later decided to withdraw his name.
Before casting her vote, Sunetra Pawar paid tribute to Ajit Pawar. “…These elections are taking place in the absence of Ajit Dada and people are paying tribute to him by exercising their democratic right,” she said.
Baramati has remained a stronghold of the Pawar family for over six decades. Sharad Pawar won the constituency six times since 1967 before Ajit Pawar took over the seat in 1991 and won it eight times in a row.
Meanwhile, the Rahuri Assembly seat fell vacant after the death of BJP MLA Shivaji Kardel in October last year. His son Akshay Kardel was in the fray as the BJP candidate from the seat, contesting against Congress Party (SP) candidate Govind Mukate and Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi Santosh Chalke.
The bypoll in Gujarat’s Umrith assembly seat was necessitated after the death of BJP MLA Govind Parmar last month, and saw a direct contest between BJP candidate Harshad Govindbhai Parmar and Congress candidate Bhujurajsinh Chauhan. Three independents and a candidate from a less well-known party also participated in the battle.
(With inputs from Maulik Pathak in Gujarat)
