Baramati Bypoll Sees Lower Turnout Despite the "Ajit Dada" Factor

The Baramati assembly seat, long considered a stronghold of the Pawar family, following the death of mass leader Ajit Pawar, a by-election was held and despite a wave of sympathy, voter turnout stood at just 58.3%.

Many in the party believed there would be a stronger turnout, especially given the sympathy factor following Ajit Pawar’s tragic death. His wife, Sunetra Pawar, is contesting the bypoll against 22 relatively lesser-known candidates.

According to NCP workers, fell short of expectations in what is considered the Pawar family’s stronghold. 

In Rahuri, located in Ahilyanagar district, the turnout stood at 56.2% till 5 pm, a noticeable drop from the 74.5% recorded during the 2024 assembly elections. 

Throughout the day, NCP workers were seen travelling to remote villages in Baramati, urging voters to step out and participate, hoping to secure a decisive victory for their party leadership.

By 6 pm, officials confirmed the turnout had reached 58.3%. This is lower compared to previous elections 69.2% in 2019 and 71% in 2024 both of which Ajit Pawar had won comfortably.

Despite the lower turnout this time, NCP supporters remain optimistic. Many believe Sunetra Pawar could surpass Ajit Pawar’s previous margins. “Around 2.3 lakh voters have cast their votes, and we expect Sunetra vahini to get close to 2 lakh votes. Even with this turnout, we feel she may have already set a record,” said a senior party leader.

Jay Pawar, Ajit Pawar’s younger son who actively campaigned for his mother, said the response from voters was encouraging. “We saw strong participation across booths since morning. There was a slight dip in the afternoon due to the heat, but people came out in good numbers. I’m grateful to the voters of Baramati, and I’m confident the final result will reflect a record margin,” he said.

Supriya Sule, who also voted in Baramati, spoke emotionally about the absence of her cousin. “It’s still hard to come to terms with the fact that my vote won’t go to Ajit dada,” she said.

Late, Ajit Pawar had held the Baramati seat for eight consecutive terms, consistently winning by large margins. In 2019, he secured victory by more than 1.65 lakh votes, and even in 2024, despite facing a family rival, he won by over one lakh votes.