Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar will contest the Baramati Assembly bypoll, while her son Parth Pawar is set to be nominated for the Rajya Sabha. The Baramati seat became vacant following the death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on 28 January 2026. Sunetra Pawar, who succeeded her late husband as deputy chief minister, is required to secure a seat in the state legislature within six months of taking oath.
According to The Indian Express, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) confirmed its decision at a core committee meeting, with state president Sunil Tatkare stating that Sunetra Pawar will contest from Baramati and Parth Pawar will be nominated to the Rajya Sabha. The announcement of their candidacies is expected imminently, following final discussions within the party.
As highlighted by Hindustan Times, Parth Pawar’s nomination for the Rajya Sabha is set for the biennial elections scheduled on 16 March 2026. If elected, Parth will become the fourth member of the Pawar family to serve in the Rajya Sabha, following Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, and Sunetra Pawar. The party’s decision is supported by the state BJP leadership, and no significant opposition is anticipated.
Coverage revealed that the Baramati bypoll date has not yet been announced by the State Election Commission. There is a possibility that Sunetra Pawar could be elected unopposed, as the Opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi has allotted the Baramati seat to the NCP (SP), and the Sharad Pawar-led party may not field a candidate against her, according to party sources.
Party insiders indicated during discussions that Parth Pawar’s recent involvement in a Pune land deal controversy did not result in any charges against him. The economic offence wing’s chargesheet did not name Parth, and a committee headed by Vikas Kharge reportedly gave him a clean chit. “Neither was an FIR filed against Parth nor has the committee recommended any action against him. Parth should have no problem in making it to the Rajya Sabha,” an NCP leader stated.
“We have taken a decision regarding nominating Parth for the Rajya Sabha. Similarly, Sunetra Pawar will contest from Baramati,” said Sunil Tatkare, NCP state president.
Further details show that Sunetra Pawar is also expected to be announced as the national president of the NCP, following Ajit Pawar’s tenure as party president after the faction’s split and alliance with the BJP’s Mahayuti government. The final meeting on this issue is scheduled, with an official announcement anticipated soon.
Political observers noted at the end of recent reports that Parth Pawar’s entry into the Rajya Sabha marks his return to electoral politics after his defeat in the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Maval. Both Mahayuti allies—Shiv Sena and NCP—are expected to contest one seat each, while the BJP is likely to get four seats in the upcoming Rajya Sabha polls.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.