Mumbai, April 7 Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on Tuesday termed as unnecessary the controversy surrounding his party's decision to field a candidate for the Baramati by-election against Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.
Speaking to reporters here, he said that there was no need to create a controversy over candidates or party positions.
Sunetra Pawar, who heads the ruling Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), is contesting the April 23 by-election to Baramati, necessitated due to the death of her husband and deputy CM Ajit Pawar in a plane crash in January this year.
The ruling Mahayuti had sought for unopposed elections as a mark of respect to Ajit Pawar. While the NCP (SP) and Shiv Sena (UBT), part of the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi, did not field candidates, the Congress chose to contest the bypoll by announcing the name of Akash More.
Parth Pawar, son of Sunetra Pawar, on Monday criticised the Congress over the decision, and said there was downfall of the party in the state. He added that they will soon come to know what kind of suffering the grand old party would face in the state.
Sapkal said elections should be conducted with dignity and in the spirit of democracy.
The Congress would soon clarify its official stance on the by-election, he said.
While debates and differences among leaders are natural, the focus must remain on ensuring a smooth and fair electoral process, the Congress leader added.
He was speaking to reporters after seeing off buses to Kerala carrying Mumbaikars hailing from the southern state who are registered voters there.
Sapkal admired voters from Kerala residing in Mumbai who are returning to their native places to cast their votes, calling it a "commendable example of democratic responsibility".
He said such commitment reflects the spirit of elections as a festival of democracy, and urged citizens to ensure 100 per cent voter participation.