Baramati By-Election Unopposed Bid Fails; Congress Withdraws Candidate, Yet 23 Remain in Fray

Baramati Assembly by-election uncontested failed despite Congress withdrawing its nominee. After the final withdrawal deadline, 23 candidates are still in the race, with polling scheduled on April 23.

Baramati | March 26, 2026: The Baramati Assembly by-election will not be held unopposed as political efforts to avoid a contest ultimately failed, even after the Congress withdrew its candidate. At the end of the final day for withdrawal of nomination papers on Thursday (April 9), a total of 30 candidates pulled out of the race, leaving 23 candidates in the fray. According to election officials, 53 nomination papers were initially filed for the by-election. Of these, six candidates had withdrawn on Wednesday, leaving 47 contenders in the field. The Congress nominee’s candidature was seen as crucial, as leaders from the ruling alliance were hoping to reduce the contest and push for an uncontested outcome.

During his Baramati visit on Thursday, NCP (Sharad Pawar faction) leader Sharad Pawar hinted that if Congress sought advice, he would recommend withdrawing the candidate to facilitate an unopposed election. Following this, Maharashtra Congress chief Harshvardhan Sapkal reportedly instructed the party candidate, Advocate Akash More, to withdraw his nomination. Along with More, 24 other candidates withdrew on Thursday. Despite these developments, the number of remaining candidates remained too high for an uncontested election to be possible. Leaders from the Mahayuti alliance and the NCP continued last-minute attempts to persuade other candidates to withdraw. Sources said NCP MLA Rohit Pawar met Sapkal and appealed to the Congress not to field a candidate in Baramati, after which the Congress stepped back.

However, efforts to convince independent candidates and smaller groups did not yield the desired results. By 3 pm, only 24 additional withdrawals were secured, ensuring that the by-election would proceed as a full contest. The Mahayuti’s NCP candidate Sunetra Pawar will now face competition from 22 other candidates.

The Election Commission has announced that polling will take place on April 23, 2026, while counting of votes will be held on May 4. The election process is scheduled to conclude on May 6.

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