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Baramati bypoll 2026: Supriya Sule remains non-committal on campaigning for sister-in-law Sunetra Pawar

Baramati bypoll was necessitated following the death of Supriya’s cousin Ajit Pawar, who died in the January 28 plane crash.

3 min readPuneApr 9, 2026 03:39 PM IST

NCP(SP) working president and MP Supriya Sule, on Thursday, refused to clarify if she would campaign for her sister-in-law and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar (right).

With just two weeks to go for the Baramati Assembly bypoll, NCP(SP) working president and MP Supriya Sule, on Thursday, refused to clarify if she would campaign for her sister-in-law and Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.

“I cannot say anything on it now as there has been no discussion so far,” Sule told reporters when asked if she would campaign for Sunetra contesting in Baramati — a bypoll that was necessitated following the death of her cousin Ajit Pawar, who died in the January 28 plane crash in Baramati.

Sunetra had taken oath as the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra following the accidental death of her husband.

Earlier in the day, Supriya Sule’s nephew and party colleague Rohit Pawar met the state Congress chief Harshavardhan Sapkal, urging him to pull out the party’s candidate from the race.

Referring to that meeting, Sule said Rohit apologised for the recent statement made by the Congress against Parth Pawar. “Sharad Pawar (Supriya Sule’s father) as well as Ajit Pawar had first contested elections on a Congress ticket. Rohit has taken a mature stand to reach out to the state Congress chief and apologise for the statement made on Congress,” Sule said.

In 2024, Sunetra of NCP had lost to Sule from the rival faction of the party in the Barmati Lok Sabha election with a huge margin. However, the NCP(SP) had wished for an unopposed Baramati Assembly bypoll as a mark of respect to Ajit Pawar.

During her visit to Pune to review infrastructure projects on Thursday, Supriya Sule said that her party had declared that it would not be fielding a candidate in Baramati as a mark of respect to Ajit Pawar, who had represented the constituency several times.

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On giving a piece of advice to her nephew Parth Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s son, who is taking the oath as a Rajya Sabha member, Sule said, “I do not advise anyone without being sought. I am not that big enough to advise anyone. However, I want to give my best wishes to everyone who takes the oath of Rajya Sabha MP today.”

The NCP(SP) working president praised Rohit for pursuing an inquiry into the death of Ajit Pawar. “Rohit Pawar did the maximum follow-up on the accidental death of Ajit Pawar. We too raised it in Parliament. We expected discussion on this incident in the state Assembly, but it didn’t take place,” she said.

Rohit had to reach out to Congress for help in registering an FIR in the death of Ajit Pawar, and it was done in Karnataka, Sule said. “Rohit and Congress have made a major contribution in getting the information on the accident and registering an FIR for investigation,” she said.

She said Rohit was the lone person who raised the Ajit Pawar’s death from the local to the national level.

Ajay Jadhav

Ajay Jadhav is an Assistant Editor at The Indian Express, Pune. With over 22 years of experience in the industry, he is a highly specialized journalist whose work focuses on the intersection of urban infrastructure, governance, and sustainability. Professional Background Role: As Assistant Editor, he plays a key role in the editorial direction of the Pune bureau, specializing in urban policy and its direct impact on citizens. Education: He holds a Master’s degree in Communication and Journalism from Savitribai Phule Pune University and a PG Diploma in Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR). He also studied at the prestigious Fergusson College. Impactful Reporting: He is credited with research-based articles on conservancy staff (waste workers) that influenced national policy for better working conditions. He is also known for exposing the contrast between high-end infrastructure (like helipads for leaders) and the lack of basic amenities like schools in their home districts. Personal Interests: An avid trekker and sports enthusiast, his personal interest in the outdoors often informs his reporting on environmental protection and sustainable development. Recent Notable Articles (December 2025) His reporting in late 2025 has been dominated by the upcoming January 2026 Civic Polls in Pune and Pimpri-Chinchwad, and the city's infrastructure boom: 1. Political Analysis (Civic Elections 2026) "Not friendly but a bitter fight lies ahead between BJP and NCP for PMC, PCMC" (Dec 22, 2025): A detailed look at the intense rivalry between the Mahayuti partners as they prepare for the January 15 municipal elections. "Pune civic polls: Big blow to NCP, NCP(SP) as leaders switch to BJP" (Dec 20, 2025): Reporting on high-profile poaching and party-hopping ahead of the elections. "Ajit Pawar's NCP continues domination in Pune, wins 10 of 17 local bodies" (Dec 21, 2025): Analyzing the results of the local self-government body elections as a precursor to the main civic polls. 2. Infrastructure & Urban Development "Looking Ahead at 2026: Pune to see inauguration of much-awaited Hinjewadi to Shivajinagar metro route" (Dec 22, 2025): An "outlook" piece on the critical Metro Line 3 project expected to finish by March 2026. "Building Pune: PMC to construct double-decker bridge over Mula-Mutha River" (Dec 18, 2025): Detailing a major project aimed at easing traffic between Hadapsar and Kharadi. "Condition of highway from Pune to Kolhapur to improve in a year: Gadkari" (Dec 4, 2025): Reporting on the Union Minister’s assurances regarding one of the state's most critical transport corridors. 3. Civic Governance & Environment "Install sensors, LED indicators at construction sites within 15 days: PMC to builders" (Dec 16, 2025): A follow-up to the "Breathless Pune" series, reporting on new mandates for builders to monitor air quality in real-time. "Errors in electoral rolls: PMC corrects data of 92,466 voters" (Dec 16, 2025): Tracking the administrative efforts to clean up the voter lists before the 2026 elections. Signature Style Ajay Jadhav is known for accountability journalism. His work often bridges the gap between high-level policy and the "ground zero" reality of Pune's residents. He is particularly focused on Sustainable Development, ensuring that as Pune grows into a "Bharat Mandapam" style destination (referring to his report on the Lohegaon project), its environmental and social safeguards remain intact. X (Twitter): @ajay_khape ... Read More

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