Pune, Apr 9 Top NCP (SP) leaders, including Sharad Pawar, Supriya Sule, and Rohit Pawar, appealed to the Congress on Thursday to withdraw its candidate against NCP president Sunetra Pawar in the Baramati assembly by-election.
Sharad Pawar said that since the by-election is being held in the backdrop of the tragic plane crash that claimed the life of Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar, he would advise the Congress not to participate in the contest.
"The Congress is a national party, and we cannot direct it to withdraw its candidate. However, the Baramati seat fell vacant due to a tragic accident that deprived Maharashtra of an efficient leader.
"If asked, I would suggest to the Congress that it would be appropriate to hold this by-election unopposed," Pawar told reporters in Baramati.
He added that the final decision rests with the Congress.
Sunetra Pawar, Ajit Pawar's wife and Deputy Chief Minister, has filed her nomination for the Baramati seat. However, in an effort to ensure an unopposed contest, the Congress has fielded advocate Akash More for the April 23 by-election.
NCP (SP) working president Supriya Sule also made a similar appeal to the Congress.
"Ajitdada had previously worked closely with the Indian National Congress, and he always maintained cordial relations with your party. An unopposed election in Baramati would be a true tribute to him.
"Therefore, I humbly appeal to the Congress party to kindly withdraw its candidate and help ensure that this election is held unopposed," Sule said, appealing to the Congress.
Earlier in the day, NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar, Sharad Pawar's grandnephew, met Maharashtra Congress president Harshvardhan Sapkal, urging the party to withdraw its candidate to facilitate the unopposed election of his aunt Sunetra Pawar.
"I am confident that the Congress will take an appropriate and positive decision after speaking with its leadership," he said.
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 by-election, according to sources.
The Congress had said that it would withdraw from the contest only if an FIR were 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 by-election turned acrimonious after Parth Pawar, son of Sunetra Pawar, recently criticized the Congress for fielding a candidate and predicted the party's "downfall".
Rohit Pawar told reporters on Thursday that he had expressed regret over his cousin Parth Pawar’s remarks.
The NCP (SP) leader said 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 NCP (SP) has announced that it would not field any candidate against Sunetra Pawar.
In total, 55 candidates have filed nominations. The last date for withdrawal is April 9.