Congress entered the Baramati bypoll fray and withdrew at the last minute to spotlight state govt’s refusal to file an FIR in connection with Ajit Pawar’s death, delivering a masterclass in modern politics

The spot in Baramati where a Learjet 45 operated by VSR Ventures crashed on January 28, killing Deputy Chief Minister Ajit Pawar and necessitating the byelection to the Baramati Assembly constituency. Pic/By Special Arrangement

If Congress never really wanted to contest the Baramati byelection, why create so much noise before stepping back? Because this was never confusion; it was strategy.

Baramati is not just any seat. It is a stronghold of the Pawar family. Everyone knows how elections here usually go. Congress knew this, too. Winning was never the real aim. So what was?

The focus was not on votes or candidates. It was on one issue: the Maharashtra government’s refusal to file an FIR in connection with Ajit Pawar’s death. That is the real story. In Baramati, the missing FIR has become a big political issue. Congress made sure it stayed that way. By saying it would withdraw from the election if an FIR were filed, the party linked its presence directly to accountability. No........

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