Sunetra Pawar, the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief and Maharashtra's deputy chief minister, has contacted Uddhav Thackeray, the president of Shiv Sena (UBT), to seek his support for her candidacy in the Baramati by-election scheduled for April 23. This election was necessitated by the tragic death of her husband, Ajit Pawar, in a plane crash. The NCP aims for an unopposed victory and has approached various parties for support. However, the Congress party has declared its intention to contest the seat, complicating the NCP's plans. Thackeray has indicated he will discuss the matter with his party members before making a decision, expected by April 5. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has expressed support for an uncontested election, emphasizing the importance of political dignity in Maharashtra. The Baramati constituency has been a Pawar family bastion since 1967, with Ajit Pawar winning the seat eight consecutive times. The NCP believes Sunetra will win the by-poll, especially with support from other parties, but the optics of the situation remain challenging.