<p>Mumbai: Playing safe and avoiding possible embarrassment, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray decided to stay away from the biennial elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council—a move that has deepened fissures within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).</p><p>Instead, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded veteran leader Ambadas Danve, a former Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council.</p><p>In the run-up to the elections, both the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) had backed Thackeray’s candidature. However, the Congress support came with a rider that it was limited only to Thackeray.</p>.Supriya Sule attends Sunetra Pawar’s rally in Baramati, extends MVA support.<p>Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut made the formal announcement of Danve’s candidature. “Thackeray has announced Danve’s name. He will be the candidate of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MVA,” he said.</p><p>While the NCP (SP) appears agreeable to Danve’s name, the Congress has decided to contest the polls independently. State Congress president Harshavardhan Sapkal said the party would field its own candidate.</p><p>Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said the state leadership would consult the party high command before making a final decision.</p><p>Thackeray confidant and MLC Anil Parab acknowledged a “communication gap” within the alliance but expressed confidence that issues would be resolved. “Everything will be okay,” he said.</p><p>NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar said the MVA leadership would meet and take a final call by the evening.</p><p><strong>The equation</strong></p><p>The elections are being held to fill nine vacancies in the Legislative Council. The electoral college comprises the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, where the BJP-led Maha Yuti enjoys a comfortable majority.</p>.'Godman' Ashok Kharat and Eknath Shinde exchanged 17 calls: Social activist Anjali Damania .<p>The nine members retiring on May 13 are Sanjay Kenekar, Neelam Gorhe, Uddhav Thackeray, Sandeep Joshi, Dadarao Keche, Amol Mitkari, Ranjitsinh Mohite-Patil, Rajesh Rathod and Shashikant Shinde.</p><p>With a strength of 235 MLAs, the BJP-led Maha Yuti is well placed to win eight seats—five for the BJP, two for the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and one for the NCP faction led by Sunetra Pawar.</p><p>In contrast, the MVA has 46 MLAs—20 from Shiv Sena (UBT), 16 from the Congress, and 10 from the NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar. The alliance can secure one seat, provided there is no cross-voting or defection.</p><p>A candidate requires 29 first-preference votes to win.</p><p><strong>BJP announces candidates</strong></p><p>For the nine seats, the BJP has announced five candidates: Sunil Karjatkar, Madhavi Naik, Sanjay Bhende, Vivek Kolhe and Pramod Jathar.</p><p>Karjatkar is a veteran party worker and strategist who was once close to late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan. Kolhe is the son of former MLA Snehalata Kolhe. Bhende was in charge of Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari’s 2024 Lok Sabha campaign. Naik is a tribal leader from Thane, while Jathar is a former MLA from Sindhudurg.</p><p><strong>Pradnya Satav to contest bye-election</strong></p><p>The BJP has also fielded Dr Pradnya Satav, wife of Rajiv Satav and a confidante of the Gandhi family, for a Legislative Council bye-election.</p><p>In December 2024, Pradnya Satav resigned as a Congress MLC and joined the BJP, citing inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.</p><p>Rajiv Satav was close to the Congress leadership, including Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi (MP from Rae Bareli), and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi.</p><p>Rajiv Satav died on May 16, 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Following his death, the Congress made Dr Pradnya Satav an MLC twice.</p>
<p>Mumbai: Playing safe and avoiding possible embarrassment, Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray decided to stay away from the biennial elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council—a move that has deepened fissures within the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA).</p><p>Instead, the Shiv Sena (UBT) has fielded veteran leader Ambadas Danve, a former Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council.</p><p>In the run-up to the elections, both the Congress and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP (SP) had backed Thackeray’s candidature. However, the Congress support came with a rider that it was limited only to Thackeray.</p>.Supriya Sule attends Sunetra Pawar’s rally in Baramati, extends MVA support.<p>Shiv Sena (UBT) Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut made the formal announcement of Danve’s candidature. “Thackeray has announced Danve’s name. He will be the candidate of the Shiv Sena (UBT) and the MVA,” he said.</p><p>While the NCP (SP) appears agreeable to Danve’s name, the Congress has decided to contest the polls independently. State Congress president Harshavardhan Sapkal said the party would field its own candidate.</p><p>Congress Legislature Party leader Vijay Wadettiwar said the state leadership would consult the party high command before making a final decision.</p><p>Thackeray confidant and MLC Anil Parab acknowledged a “communication gap” within the alliance but expressed confidence that issues would be resolved. “Everything will be okay,” he said.</p><p>NCP (SP) MLA Rohit Pawar said the MVA leadership would meet and take a final call by the evening.</p><p><strong>The equation</strong></p><p>The elections are being held to fill nine vacancies in the Legislative Council. The electoral college comprises the 288-member Maharashtra Legislative Assembly, where the BJP-led Maha Yuti enjoys a comfortable majority.</p>.'Godman' Ashok Kharat and Eknath Shinde exchanged 17 calls: Social activist Anjali Damania .<p>The nine members retiring on May 13 are Sanjay Kenekar, Neelam Gorhe, Uddhav Thackeray, Sandeep Joshi, Dadarao Keche, Amol Mitkari, Ranjitsinh Mohite-Patil, Rajesh Rathod and Shashikant Shinde.</p><p>With a strength of 235 MLAs, the BJP-led Maha Yuti is well placed to win eight seats—five for the BJP, two for the Shiv Sena led by Eknath Shinde, and one for the NCP faction led by Sunetra Pawar.</p><p>In contrast, the MVA has 46 MLAs—20 from Shiv Sena (UBT), 16 from the Congress, and 10 from the NCP (SP) led by Sharad Pawar. The alliance can secure one seat, provided there is no cross-voting or defection.</p><p>A candidate requires 29 first-preference votes to win.</p><p><strong>BJP announces candidates</strong></p><p>For the nine seats, the BJP has announced five candidates: Sunil Karjatkar, Madhavi Naik, Sanjay Bhende, Vivek Kolhe and Pramod Jathar.</p><p>Karjatkar is a veteran party worker and strategist who was once close to late BJP leader Pramod Mahajan. Kolhe is the son of former MLA Snehalata Kolhe. Bhende was in charge of Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Nitin Gadkari’s 2024 Lok Sabha campaign. Naik is a tribal leader from Thane, while Jathar is a former MLA from Sindhudurg.</p><p><strong>Pradnya Satav to contest bye-election</strong></p><p>The BJP has also fielded Dr Pradnya Satav, wife of Rajiv Satav and a confidante of the Gandhi family, for a Legislative Council bye-election.</p><p>In December 2024, Pradnya Satav resigned as a Congress MLC and joined the BJP, citing inspiration from Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.</p><p>Rajiv Satav was close to the Congress leadership, including Sonia Gandhi, Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi (MP from Rae Bareli), and Wayanad MP Priyanka Gandhi.</p><p>Rajiv Satav died on May 16, 2021, during the Covid-19 pandemic. Following his death, the Congress made Dr Pradnya Satav an MLC twice.</p>