Mumbai, April 10 -- The Congress on Thursday withdrew its candidate for the April 23 bypoll to Baramati assembly seat in Maharashtra, paving the way for a virtual uncontested win for deputy chief minister and Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sunetra Pawar, with the decision coming in the wake of calls from its ally the NCP(SP) as well as the ruling NCP and the BJP. The bypoll was necessitated due to the death of former deputy CM and Baramati MLA Ajit Pawar, the husband of Sunetra, in an air crash on January 28. The decision to withdraw the candidature of Akash More was announced by state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal on the last day for withdrawal of nominations for the bypoll. It came after requests various leaders, including NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis and Sunetra Pawar herself. "Considering the long tradition in Maharashtra and respecting the effort and communications made by the NCP leadership and others, we have decided to withdraw our candidate from the Baramati bypoll," Sapkal told reporters. "We are taking two steps back since the bypoll is taking place immediately after the tragic demise of Ajit Pawar. Even though Ajit Pawar started his political career with the Congress, he had joined hands with the BJP for the sake of power." Sapkal said Sunetra Pawar met Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge on Thursday after speaking to him over the phone multiple times since April 5. To be sure, there are 22 other candidates in the fray, though none of them are from any major political party and are unlikely to pose any challenge to Sunetra Pawar in the family bastion. On Thursday, NCP (SP) legislator Rohit Pawar met Sapkal at his residence and urged him to reconsider the Congress's decision. "I respect his views and his party's policy. However, I still request the Congress, and all the independent candidates who have filed nominations, to withdraw their applications and cooperate in electing Sunetra Kaki (aunty) unopposed," Rohit said. Rohit, a nephew of Ajit Pawar, expressed regret over a statement made by Sunetra's son, Parth, that the downfall of the Congress was imminent. Parth had also said the NCP would not reach out to anyone for an unopposed win. Hours later, however, a five-member NCP delegation led by minister Makarand Patil met Sapkal at the Congress's office in Mumbai. After the meeting, Sapkal announced that the party would withdraw from the contest. NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, who had initially taken a neutral stand, also said that the by-election should be held unopposed. "The seat fell vacant because of an accident, in which Maharashtra lost a dutiful leader in the name of Ajit Pawar. Hence, I suggest it would be appropriate to make the Baramati bypoll unopposed," the veteran leader said....