Congress May Withdraw Candidate for Baramati Bypoll Following Meeting with NCP(SP) MLA
Potential Candidate Withdrawal
The Maharashtra Congress appears poised to withdraw its candidate from the upcoming Baramati Assembly bypoll. This move follows a meeting between NCP(SP) MLA Rohit Pawar and the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC) chief Harshavardhan Sapkal. During the meeting, which transpired on the last possible day for nominations to be withdrawn, Rohit Pawar urged Sapkal to reconsider the party’s candidacy.
Rohit Pawar stated, “I met the MPCC chief and had a long discussion with him. I told him that today was the last day for withdrawal of nominations, and therefore I urged him to pull out the party candidate from the race.” He emphasized that the Congress’s objective is to seek justice in light of Ajit Pawar’s recent death in a plane crash, citing a perceived lack of governmental action as a reason for Congress to field a candidate.
Congress’s Intent to Raise Awareness
According to Rohit Pawar, the intent behind the Congress fielding its candidate was to pressure the government to file an FIR regarding the plane crash and to promote transparency in the ongoing situation. He explained, “The Congress believes that when a prominent leader of Maharashtra has died in a plane crash, and even an FIR is not being lodged, the party wants to register its protest in a manner it deems appropriate.”
Rohit asserted that despite Ajit Pawar’s alliance with the BJP, the Congress has no grievances against him and aims solely for justice. He expressed optimism that Congress would agree to withdraw its candidate to foster a positive message among the residents of Maharashtra.
Congress Response to Rohit’s Urging
A spokesperson for the Congress party confirmed consideration of the withdrawal, stating, “The party is thinking of withdrawing the candidate. The decision will be made public in a couple of hours.” They reiterated the sentiment that the candidate’s presence was a strong statement aimed at the government, signaling dissatisfaction regarding the handling of Ajit Pawar’s situation.
Rohit Pawar also commented on recent remarks made by Parth Pawar, son of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar and the late Ajit Pawar. He deemed Parth’s prior statements against the Congress as inappropriate and unsuited for the current political climate.
Parth Pawar’s Reactions
Parth Pawar had previously criticized the Congress for their decision to field a candidate against his mother, warning that the opposition party might face repercussions for this choice. He stated, “I don’t think this will be an uncontested election,” referencing multiple candidates having filed nominations.
In response, the state Congress fiercely defended itself, labeling Parth as an “ungrateful son” and cautioning him to refrain from commenting on the party’s actions. The Congress has announced its candidate as Akash More, who had previously lost his deposit in the 2014 elections against Ajit Pawar.
Conditions for Withdrawal
Following the announcement of his candidacy, Akash More expressed a condition for his potential withdrawal from the race, indicating, “I will withdraw from the race provided the government files an FIR in the Ajit Pawar plane accident case.” This stipulation adds another layer of complexity to the ongoing political discourse surrounding the bypoll.
Efforts for Uncontested Election
Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has reportedly made multiple appeals to both the MPCC chief and Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Uddhav Thackeray, advocating for an uncontested election in Baramati. The NCP, led by Sharad Pawar, has already shown support for Sunetra Pawar’s candidacy in this context.
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