Pune: Sunetra Pawar Heads for Record Baramati Bypoll Win with Massive Lead
Baramati, May 4, 2026: Deputy CM and NCP chief Sunetra Pawar is set to register a record victory in the Baramati bypoll, as she was leading by 78,244 votes at the end of the ninth round of counting on Monday.
Her nearest rival, R Y Ghutukade of the New Rashtriya Samaj Party, has so far secured just 284 votes, according to early trends.
The bypoll was necessitated following the death of former deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash on January 28. Sunetra Pawar, who took over as deputy CM and the party’s leadership after his demise, is contesting her first assembly election.
Trends indicate that she is likely to surpass Ajit Pawar’s 2019 record victory margin of 1.65 lakh votes, one of the highest in the state, when he defeated BJP’s Gopichand Padalkar. With no major opposition candidates in the fray, her final margin is expected to be significantly higher.
Reacting to the trends, Sunetra Pawar said the mandate was a tribute to the memory of Ajit Pawar. In a post on X, she said the announcement of results had brought back memories of “Ajitdada”, leaving many emotional.
Appealing for restraint, she urged party workers and supporters not to organise victory rallies or celebrations. “Let us maintain restraint and conduct ourselves in a manner befitting his ideals,” she said.
Thanking the people of Baramati for their support, Pawar said the victory marked the beginning of a new phase for the constituency. “This is not the end, but the beginning of determination, struggle and a new Baramati,” she said, reiterating her commitment to fulfilling Ajit Pawar’s vision.
