The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has announced its three candidates for the upcoming by-elections to five vacant seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council. Under the Mahayuti alliance, the BJP has been allotted three out of the five seats, with one seat each going to the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction).
Mumbai: On Sunday, the BJP announced the names of its three candidates for the Maharashtra Legislative Council by-elections under the Mahayuti quota. The party nominated Sandeep Diwakar Rao Joshi, Sanjay Kishan Rao Kenekar, and Dadarao Yadav Rao Keche as its candidates. BJP General Secretary Arun Singh announced this, stating that the Central Election Committee had approved all three names.
Three Candidates Announced
Sandeep Diwakar Rao Joshi – Hailing from Nagpur, Sandeep Joshi is considered close to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.
Sanjay Kishanrao Kenekar – Kenekar, who has served effectively as General Secretary, hails from Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.
Dadarao Yadav Rao Keche – Dadarao Keche, who was denied a ticket in the Assembly elections, has now been chosen for the Legislative Council.
Suspense Remains Over Shiv Sena and NCP Candidates
Under the Mahayuti alliance, one seat each has been allocated to the Shiv Sena (Shinde faction) and the NCP (Ajit Pawar faction). However, both parties have yet to announce their candidates, leading to speculation in political circles. Voting for the Maharashtra Legislative Council by-elections will be held on March 27, 2025, from 9 am to 4 pm. The counting of votes will begin immediately afterward at 5 pm, and the names of the winning candidates will be declared. The by-election process will be completed by March 29.
Reasons for Vacancies
These five seats in the Legislative Council fell vacant due to the victories of Amasha Padvi, Pravin Datke, Rajesh Vitkar, Ramesh Karad, and Gopichand Padalkar in the Assembly elections. By-elections are now being held to fill these seats. The Maharashtra Legislative Council has a total of 78 members, of whom 66 are elected and 12 are nominated by the Governor. The results of the by-elections could also impact the power balance between the ruling Mahayuti alliance and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi.
