Mumbai, April 9 NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar met Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal on Thursday, urging the party to withdraw its candidate in the Baramati by-election to facilitate the unopposed election of his aunt, NCP president Sunetra Pawar.
A day earlier, Sunetra Pawar had spoken to Sapkal to request him to ensure that his party's candidate withdraws his nomination against her in the April 23 by-election, according to sources.
The Congress had said that it would withdraw from the contest only if an FIR was registered in deputy CM Ajit Pawar's death in a plane crash in January, which necessitated the Baramati bye election.
However, the run-up to the contest turned acrimonious after Sunetra Pawar's son Parth Pawar recently criticised Congress for fielding a candidate and predicted the party's "downfall".
Rohit Pawar told reporters on Thursday that he had expressed regret about his cousin Parth Pawar's remarks.
"I am confident that the Congress will take an appropriate and positive decision after speaking to its leadership," he said.
A total of 53 candidates, including Sunetra Pawar and Congress's Akash More, have filed their nominations. The last date for withdrawal of nominations is April 9.
The NCP (SP) leader said that the Congress has given the right message that justice should be delivered in the plane crash and that an FIR be registered in Maharashtra.
"I hope Sunetra Pawar, who is in Delhi today, will meet Union minister Amit Shah and seek a CBI probe into the case," said Rohit Pawar, who has repeatedly demanded a high-level investigation into the Baramati crash.
The Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) has announced that it would not field any candidate against Sunetra Pawar.
