PUNE, March 16 -- The by-election to the Baramati assembly seat, necessitated by the death of NCP leader Ajit Pawar, is likely to see Maharashtra deputy chief minister Sunetra Pawar elected unopposed if all political parties arrive at a consensus. Speaking to reporters in Rahuri on Sunday, chief minister Devendra Fadnavis said that efforts would be made to ensure that the by-polls to both Baramati in Pune district and Rahuri in Ahilyanagar district-the latter poll necessitated by the death of BJP MLA Shivaji Kardile-were held without a contest through "mutual understanding". "However, if an election is forced upon us, the Mahayuti is fully prepared for a contest as well," he said. Earlier in the day, chief election commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar announced that the by-polls to the two constituencies would be held on April 23. Votes will be counted on May 4. Within the opposition camp as well, there were indications that the Baramati by-poll could turn into a consensus election. Shashikant Shinde, state president of the NCP (Sharad Pawar), said that the party would hold discussions internally and with its allies in the Maha Vikas Aghadi before taking a final decision. Senior leaders from the Pawar family expressed hope that the election would not see a contest. Rohit Pawar, NCP (SP) leader and Ajit Pawar's nephew, said, "I am not speaking on behalf of the party, but as a member of the Pawar family. I feel that if Sunetra Kaki contests the by-election from Baramati, it should ideally be unopposed." NCP (SP) MP Supriya Sule too said she had "no doubt" that the election would be unopposed. Ajit Pawar died in a plane crash in Baramati on January 28. Three days later, his wife Sunetra Pawar was chosen as the leader of the NCP legislature party and was sworn in as deputy chief minister in the BJP-led Mahayuti government. Sunetra is currently not a member of either the legislative assembly or the legislative council and must secure a seat in the state legislature within six months of taking oath as deputy CM as required under the Constitution. She is currently a member of the Rajya Sabha, and will have to resign from the Upper House if she contests and wins the Baramati by-poll. Baramati has long been considered the political stronghold of Ajit Pawar. In the 2024 Maharashtra assembly elections, he won the seat by a margin of 1,00,899 votes over his nephew and NCP (SP) candidate Yugendra Pawar. Over the years, Ajit established an unmatched electoral record in the constituency, winning the Baramati seat eight times from the 1990s onwards. The EC has scheduled by-polls to 8 assembly seats across the country. While five seats-Ponda in Goa, Bagalkot and Davanagere South in Karnataka, Koridang in Nagaland and Dharmanagar in Tripura-will go to the polls on April 9, voting for the Umreth seat in Gujarat and the Baramati and Rahuri constituencies will take place on April 23....