Maharashtra Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Sunday said he has requested NCP president Sharad Pawar and leaders of Congress to honour the political tradition in the state to ensure unopposed bypolls to the seats that fall vacant due to the death of sitting lawmakers.

The byelections to Kasba Peth and Chinchwad constituencies in Pune, scheduled for February 26, were necessitated due to the death of MLAs Mukta Tilak and Laxman Jagtap, respectively. Both of them belonged to the BJP.