BARAMATI, April 7 -- NCP leader Sunetra Pawar filed her nomination on Monday for the April 23 Baramati by-election, setting the stage for a contest the ruling Mahayuti alliance had briefly hoped would be uncontested. The poll, triggered by the death of former NCP chief and Sunetra's husband Ajit Pawar, will turn into a closely watched battle if the Congress doesn't withdraw from the race. Pawar, 62, is contesting an election for the second time. Her foray into electoral politics was marked by her loss to Supriya Sule in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, after which she was given a Rajya Sabha seat by the NCP. Since the -election will fill a seat occupied by her deceased husband, it adds an emotional layer to Pawar's candidature. For the NCP, it will mean retaining its hold over its traditional bastion. Pawar filed her nomination papers flanked by senior leaders and a large number of party workers. It was a show of strength the NCP sought to project as a united front in Baramati. The road leading to the nomination centre saw a steady stream of supporters, many carrying party flags, while local leaders mobilised groups from nearby villages to underline the party's organisational grip. "This is not just a political contest for me. Baramati is my identity, and I will continue to work for its people with the same commitment," Pawar said after filing her nomination. Invoking the legacy of NCP (SP) chief Sharad Pawar, Sunetra said while addressing party workers, "I am the daughter-in-law of four-time chief minister Sharad Pawar and wife of six-time deputy chief minister Ajit Pawar. I have now taken responsibility of Baramati and it's development." Senior NCP leaders such as Praful Patel, Sunil Tatkare, Chhagan Bhujbal echoed the party line, even as they pitched for a broader consensus. "We had appealed to all parties to consider making this election unopposed. There is a tradition in Maharashtra to respect such situations," said Patel, speaking at the Moropant Auditorium, where Pawar and others addressed party workers. On being asked about an unopposed election, Pawar said, "Praful Patel and I are trying to contact Congress national president Mallikarjun Kharge to request him to get this election unopposed. This is the toughest election of my life; no one should find themself in a situation like this. This election is not mine alone; this is the election of all Baramati people." Bhujbal, who was present while Pawar filed her nomination, said, "We hope to convince the Congress to withdraw from the race," he said, dismissing suggestions of internal differences tainting the campaign. Sunil Tatkare also emphasised unity, saying, "All leaders and workers are on the same page. Our focus is to ensure a decisive mandate." The NCP had hoped to secure an uncontested win for Pawar but the Congress has fielded Akash More, who too filed his nomination on Monday. More, secretary of the Maharashtra Pradesh Congress Committee (MPCC), is the son of former MLA and legislative council member Vijayrao More. Asked if he would withdraw from the race, More said he would if the Mahayuti government, of which the NCP is a part, registers an FIR in the Ajit Pawar plane crash case, in Baramati, to show it was serious about the probe. A total 55 candidates will contest the Baramati by-election and April 9 is the deadline for withdrawal of nomination. The NCP's efforts for a consensus triggered mixed reactions within its own ranks. Parth Pawar, son of Sunetra and an Rajya Sabha MP, said, "In a democracy, elections should be contested. That is how people express their will."...