Congress States Withdrawal Possible From Baramati Bypoll If FIR Registered in Ajit Pawar Crash
Congress may pull out of Baramati bypoll pending Ajit Pawar FIR.
The Maharashtra Congress on Monday said it may consider withdrawing from the upcoming Baramati Assembly bypoll if a first information report (FIR) is registered in connection with the plane crash that killed former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar. The party accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of adopting a “convenient” political stance on the issue.
State Congress spokesperson Atul Londhe rejected claims that the April 23 by-election should be held unopposed, asserting that the party intends to contest unless an FIR is filed in Baramati regarding Ajit Pawar’s death. Londhe noted that Congress state unit secretary Akash More has been fielded against Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar for the bypoll, necessitated by the demise of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on January 28.
Ajit Pawar had represented the Baramati constituency in Pune district eight times, winning several of his elections by record margins. While the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) and Shiv Sena (UBT) have expressed support for an unopposed bypoll, Congress has maintained its decision to field a candidate in the constituency.
Also Read: Bengaluru Transfers Ajit Pawar Plane Crash Case to Maharashtra Authorities
Londhe highlighted concerns surrounding the circumstances of Ajit Pawar’s death, noting that the Pawar family has demanded a probe and Sunetra Pawar has sought a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) inquiry. He added that NCP MLA Rohit Pawar had repeatedly tried to get an FIR registered in Maharashtra but was only successful in Karnataka.
The Congress leader also emphasized that there is no consistent precedent for holding unopposed bypolls following the death of sitting legislators. He cited examples such as the Nanded bypoll after Vasantrao Chavan’s demise and the Mangalwedha bypoll in Solapur following Bharat Bhalke’s death to support his argument.
Accusing the BJP of double standards, Londhe claimed the party has acted based on political convenience in deciding which bypolls should be unopposed. Congress’s stance signals that the Baramati contest could hinge on whether authorities register an FIR in the Ajit Pawar plane crash case.
Also Read: Ajit Pawar Plane Crash: NCP Submits Memorandum to CM Fadnavis Demanding Quick Final Report
