India, April 24 -- Fresh speculation over who will represent Baramati in the 2029 assembly election triggered political sparring on Thursday, with leaders from both factions of the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) weighing in on the possibility of another contest involving members of the influential Pawar family.

NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar alleged that forces within the ruling alliance were encouraging the prospect of another "Pawar versus Pawar" contest in Baramati with the intention of weakening the family's long-standing political influence in the constituency.

His remarks came amid the ongoing voting for the Baramati bypoll, necessitated after the death of former deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar in a plane crash earlier this year. The...