Baramati Bypoll: Congress May Withdraw Its Nomination Against Maharashtra Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar, Adds A Rider

Baramati Bypoll: In a surprise turn of events, Congress candidate Advocate Akash More said he may consider withdrawal of his nomination from the April 23 Baramati Assembly bye-election against Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and NCP leader Sunetra Pawar. But, he added a rider saying he would not contest if his demand to file an FIR and conduct a probe into the aircraft accident that led to Ajit Pawar's death.

"The accident involving Ajit Pawar was not just a coincidence; it is essential to reach the truth. If the government registers an FIR and investigates the matter seriously, only then will I think about withdrawing my nomination," said More.

ALSO READ: Baramati Bypoll: Congress Blocks Unopposed Election Bid As Uddhav, Sharad Move To Leave Seat For Sunetra Pawar

More carries a political legacy of his father, who contested against Ajit Pawar in 2014. More questioned the government's transparency regarding the incident, emphasising that the Home Ministry should take the death of such a high-ranking leader more seriously.

More Questions Govt's Intention On Not Filing FIR

"The 'Karta Purush' (leading man) of Baramati and Maharashtra is gone. Why isn't there a satisfactory answer or a proper investigation? We may have opposed Ajit Dada politically, but we stood by him regarding the state's development. If a big leader dies in an accident and no FIR is filed, it raises serious questions," More added.

ALSO READ: DGCA Issues New Guidelines For Non-Scheduled Aircraft Operators Flying VVIPs After Ajit Pawar's Plane Crash

He further noted that State Congress president, Harshwardhan Sapkal, is also in agreement with this stance. The Congress' senior spokesperson, Atul Londhe, supported the condition set by More for withdrawal of his nomination.

"Unfortunately, given the circumstances surrounding Ajit Dada's passing, even his family felt an enquiry was necessary. This is why Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Tai Pawar herself demanded a CBI probe. What happened to that reminder? Rohit Pawar was running from pillar to post across Maharashtra just to get an FIR registered; eventually, his efforts only succeeded in Karnataka.

ALSO READ: Ajit Pawar Plane Crash: Preliminary Investigation Flags Poor Visibility, Safety Gaps At Baramati Airport

Previously, it was expected that the seat might go uncontested after the Sharad Pawar and Uddhav Thackeray factions of the Maha Vikas Aghadi expressed support for Sunetra Pawar. The bypoll was necessitated by the untimely demise of Ajit Pawar. While Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar had been making efforts to ensure an unopposed election, the Congress party surprised many by fielding Akash More, son of former Congress legislator Vijay More.

(With IANS Inputs)