Representing the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), Parth Sunetra Ajit Pawar on Thursday took the oath as a member of the Rajya Sabha in the presence of Vice President and Rajya Sabha Chairman C. P. Radhakrishnan.
The ceremony was attended by senior NCP leaders, including Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Ajit Pawar.
Pledges to raise public issues in Upper House
In a post on X, Pawar wrote, “Today, in the presence of the Honourable C. P. Radhakrishnan, the Vice President of the country and Chairman of the Rajya Sabha, at New Delhi, I took the oath of membership of the Rajya Sabha on behalf of the Nationalist Congress Party. On this occasion, along with the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra State, Honourable Sunetra Ajitdada Pawar, senior esteemed leaders of the party were present.”
राष्ट्रवादी काँग्रेस पक्षाच्या वतीने आज नवी दिल्ली येथे देशाचे उपराष्ट्रपती तथा राज्यसभेचे सभापती मा.श्री. सी. पी. राधाकृष्णन जी यांच्या उपस्थितीत राज्यसभेच्या सदस्यत्वाची शपथ ग्रहण केली. यावेळी महाराष्ट्र राज्याच्या उपमुख्यमंत्री मा. श्रीमती सुनेत्रा अजितदादा पवार यांच्यासह… pic.twitter.com/FMsHA3mFiI
— Parth Sunetra Ajit Pawar (@parthajitpawar) April 9, 2026
Pawar also emphasised his commitment to raising the voice of the people in the Upper House. “Keeping in mind the trust of the people and their expectations, I will make an honest effort to effectively raise my voice in the Rajya Sabha, to present the case of the people, and to contribute to the development of the country,” he wrote.
Entry follows Ajit Pawar’s demise in plane crash
His entry into the Upper House comes after the death of former Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister and his father, Ajit Pawar, who died in a plane crash, headed to Baramati earlier this year.
Congress not to contest Baramati assembly bypoll
The Opposition Congress on Thursday opted out of the bypoll to the Baramati assembly seat in Maharashtra at the last moment, giving a virtual walkover to ruling NCP candidate and Deputy CM Sunetra Pawar though a contest will still take place as 22 other nominees remain in the fray.
After initially appearing firm to contest the April 23 bypoll, necessitated due to the death of former Deputy Chief Minister and sitting Baramati MLA Ajit Pawar, the husband of Sunetra, the Congress withdrew its candidate in the wake of calls from ruling allies Nationalist Congress Party, BJP and also its Opposition partner NCP (SP).
Addressing a press conference in Mumbai, state Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal sought to frame the decision to climbdown as a move rooted in Maharashtra`s political culture and decorum and referred to the death of Ajit Pawar in an air crash just over two months ago.
“The decision was taken to maintain the state`s political culture, decorum and dialogue. 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.
“The Congress is withdrawing from the Baramati bypoll, but not supporting any candidate,” the MPCC president maintained.
Soon after his announcement, Congress candidate Akash More withdrew his nomination from the high-profile assembly seat, a Pawar family bastion in Pune district, just before end of the deadline.
“As per directions from the party leadership, I have withdrawn my nomination,” More told reporters in Baramati.
Despite the Congress opting out, the Baramati assembly seat will still see a contest as 22 other candidates remain in the fray. However, none of them is likely to pose any significant challenge to Sunetra Pawar, whose election from the seat appears a mere formality. Votes will be counted on May 4.