Sunetra Pawar to Contest Baramati Bypoll Amid Dhangar Protests and Independent Challenge

The Baramati Assembly by-election, triggered by the death of former Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, is set for April 23 with counting on May 4. Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar will contest from the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) faction led by Ajit Pawar, while the Sharad Pawar-led NCP faction has opted out. Protests from the Dhangar community over renaming a local medical college after Ajit Pawar have raised the possibility of an independent candidate entering the race, making the election potentially contested.