In an emotional and historic victory, Sunetra Pawar is set to secure the Baramati Assembly seat with a record-breaking margin, following the bypoll necessitated by the tragic passing of her husband, former Deputy CM Ajit Pawar.
As of the latest counting rounds on May 4, 2026, Sunetra Pawar has maintained a commanding lead of over 1.32 lakh votes, positioning her to potentially surpass the electoral benchmarks previously set by both Ajit Pawar and NCP (SP) patriarch Sharad Pawar.
Key Highlights of the Victory
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A “Real Tribute”: Sunetra Pawar dedicated the win to the voters’ enduring trust in Ajit Pawar. “The votes from the people of Baramati are the real tribute to Ajit Dada,” she stated, promising to bring his developmental dreams to reality.
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Family Solidarity: In a rare show of political unity within the Pawar family, Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule supported her candidacy. No major political parties, including the Congress, fielded candidates against her as a mark of respect to the late leader.
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Record-Breaking Pace: Early trends suggest her victory margin could challenge the 2019 record set by Ajit Pawar (1.65 lakh votes) and the 1990 vote share record held by Sharad Pawar (75%).
National Context
During her victory address, Sunetra Pawar also extended congratulations to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the BJP for their significant performances in the simultaneous Assembly elections in West Bengal and Assam, noting that the results reflect the “belief of the people.”
Background
The Baramati by-election was held on April 23, 2026, following the death of Ajit Pawar in an airplane crash on January 28, 2026. The seat has long been considered the epicenter of the Pawar family’s political influence in Maharashtra.
“Baramati is my family… the kind of work, belief, and service the Pawar family has offered, I will try my best to take it forward.”
— Sunetra Pawar
