Pune: Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar has created a new electoral record in the Baramati Assembly by-election, winning with the highest-ever margin in the constituency. By the end of the 19th round, she crossed the “magic figure” of 1,65,266 votes and reached a total of 1,68,555 votes.
This surpasses the previous record held by her late husband, Ajit Pawar, who had won the 2019 election with a margin of 1,65,265 votes against Gopichand Padalkar. With this, Sunetra Pawar has set a new benchmark in Baramati’s electoral history.
The by-election recorded a voter turnout of 58.17%, with 2,23,705 people casting their votes. The contest was largely one-sided from the beginning. Sunetra Pawar maintained a strong lead in every round of counting, which continued through 24 rounds under tight security.
The bypoll was held after the death of Ajit Pawar in a plane crash earlier this year. Riding on a strong sympathy wave and the Pawar family’s long-standing influence in the region, Sunetra Pawar emerged as the clear choice of voters.
The election saw no major opposition challenge. After Congress candidate Akash More withdrew, a total of 23 candidates remained in the fray. Most were independents or from smaller parties. All 22 candidates combined have received just around 3,830 votes so far.
Ajit Pawar’s Domination…
Among the contestants were Karuna Munde and Abhijit Bichukale, along with several others. However, none could pose a serious challenge.
Sunetra Pawar’s victory margin has now become the main highlight of the election, drawing attention at the national level. The result reinforces the Pawar family’s stronghold in Baramati and sends a significant political message across Maharashtra.
Ajit Pawar had consistently dominated Baramati elections over the decades, winning multiple times with large margins. His 2019 victory margin of over 1.65 lakh votes was considered a record until now. With this bypoll result, Sunetra Pawar has not only retained the seat but also surpassed that legacy with an even bigger mandate.
Ajit Pawar: Votes received (year-wise data)
- 1991: 96,032 votes - Margin: 86,915 - Percentage: 90.43%
- 1995: 91,493 votes - Margin: 77,335 - Percentage: 71.91%
- 1999: 86,507 votes - Margin: 50,366 - Percentage: 69.72%
- 2004: 96,302 votes - Margin: 66,157 - Percentage: 69.07%
- 2009: 1,28,544 votes - Margin: 1,02,797 - Percentage: 68.26%
- 2014: 1,50,588 votes - Margin: 89,791 - Percentage: 66.45%
- 2019: 1,95,641 votes - Margin: 1,65,265 - Percentage: 83.80%
- 2024: 1,81,132 votes - Margin: 1,00,899 - Percentage: 66.32%
