The by-poll was conducted on April 23, and was necessitated after Deputy Prime Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash near Baramati airstrip.
Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sunetra Pawar is set to pull off a landslide victory in the 2026 Baramati assembly elections. Maharashtra’s deputy chief minister polled over 2 lakh votes at the end of the 23rd round of counting and maintained an impressive lead over her 22 rivals, none of whom crossed even 1,000 votes, according to Election Commission data.
It received 2,09,921 votes as of 5:45 pm, according to EC data. Professor RG Ghatukade Sir (New Rashtriya Samaj Party) is trailing with 873 votes, while Viraj Mahadev Shinde (Independent) is trailing with 501 votes. Counting is still ongoing.
The by-poll was conducted on April 23, and was necessitated after the death of Deputy Prime Minister and NCP chief Ajit Pawar in a plane crash near Baramati airstrip in Pune district on January 28. Contesting her first election, Sunetra Pawar is heading towards a comfortable victory.
In a post on X, Sunetra Pawar thanked the people of Baramati for the “resounding victory” in the Assembly by-elections. She said the mandate came with an “overwhelming vote” and demonstrated the deep trust, love and support of voters.
This was the first election in Baramati after the death of Ajit Pawar, she said, adding that his absence was deeply felt and the victory was “not just a political victory” but a tribute to his work and legacy. She said his vision and contributions in Maharashtra and Baramati continued to inspire her and gave her strength to move forward, while also acknowledging the responsibility of moving forward with his dreams.
Sunetra Pawar thanked NCP leaders and workers, as well as partners in the Mahayoti and Maha Vikas Aghadi alliances, along with supporting organisations, for their efforts during the campaign. She said she remained committed to the ideals of Shiv Shahu Phule Ambedkar and to following the path outlined by Yashwantrao Chavan and Ajit Pawar.
Calling for unity and development-focused policies, she said Baramati’s progress should focus on youth, farmers, women and businessmen, adding that “elections come and go, but the harmony and camaraderie enjoyed by Baramati should continue forever.” She also assured voters that she will always stand by their side and will continue to work to develop the constituency without fanfare.
Jai Pawar, Sunetra Pawar’s son, thanked voters for their confidence and said the family was humbled by the mandate. He also asked his supporters to maintain restraint and avoid celebrations.
“None of us wanted such elections to be held. An unfortunate incident also happened in the neighboring district of Bor Tehsil (where a four-year-old boy was raped and murdered). We do not want to celebrate this victory,” Jai Pawar told reporters in Baramati, according to news agency ANI.
Sunetra Pawar also appealed to party workers and supporters not to go out in victory processions or celebrate ‘Gulal’ once the result is announced. She dedicated the state to the memory of her late husband Ajit Pawar and called for dignity and restraint.
“I was not alone in this. All my well-wishers were with us in this campaign and vote. We could achieve this only because of that,” Jay Pawar further said, adding that he would remain available to the residents of the constituency every Thursday to address their concerns.
Anita Goswami is a Senior Content Producer at Hindustan Times, where she primarily covers Indian and international news. With four years of experience in the field, she has led coverage of Indian general elections, Assembly elections, and national polls in the US, Canada, Bangladesh and Nepal. Its reports cover world wars and major events, including Operation Sindoor, the overthrow of Sheikh Hasina, and the Mahakumbh Mela. It verifies the facts and uses clear sources to ensure the accuracy of the reports. As a former Editor-in-Chief at Storytailors, she has managed teams to produce high-quality content for networks such as NDTV, Profit, CNBC-TV18, Upstox and News18. Her work has appeared on NDTV, Meaww and Global Pulse. Throughout her tenure, Anita has collaborated with and received mentoring from leading industry experts. When she’s not reading, Anita can be found outside or at a bakery. Areas of interest: Indian political history, international elections, historical policy analysis, global conflicts, cultural events, Formula 1, art, media ethics, reporting on social and political change over time.Read more
