Overview
- Rohit Pawar, a legislator from the Sharad Pawar faction, began a three-day tour on Wednesday urging near‑100% turnout for his aunt Sunetra Pawar as a tribute to the late Ajit Pawar.
- He held small, worker-focused meetings in villages like Katewadi and courted cooperative leaders, with senior relatives such as Rajendra Pawar joining some stops.
- The bypoll was called after Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in January, and Sunetra Pawar is asking voters in the family stronghold to honor his work.
- Congress withdrew its candidate last week under the convention of deference in bereavement bypolls, yet 22 independents remain on the ballot.
- Voting is scheduled for April 23 with counting on May 4, in a race marked as a rare pause in the NCP’s internal split even as Sharad Pawar and Supriya Sule stay off the trail.