Mumbai (Maharashtra)

Maharashtra Congress on Thursday decided to extend support to Shiv Sena (UBT) candidate Ambadas Danve for the MLC elections and will not field its own candidate, state party president Harshvardhan Sapkal said.

NCP (SCP) has also supported Ambadas Danve as Maha Vikas Aghadi's MLC candidate.

There were speculations about Shiv Sena (UBT) chief Uddhav Thackeray contesting the elections himself; however, the party has chosen former MLC Ambadas Danve.

The biennial MLC elections are being held for nine seats, along with bypolls for one seat after Pradnya Rajeev Satav switched to the BJP from Congress.

The BJP has nominated Pradnya Satav for the bypoll, while nominating five candidates for the biennial elections, including Sunil Vinayak Karjatkar, Madhavi Naik, Sanjay Natthuji Bhende, Vivek Bipindada Kolhe, and Pramod Shantaram Jathar.

The BJP leaders filed nominations in the presence of Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

On the last day of nomination today, NCP leader Zeeshan Siddiqui filed nomination as the party candidate in the presence of party chief and Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Sunetra Pawar.

Shiv Sena has re-nominated Deputy Chairperson Neelam Gorhe and Prahar Janshakti Party founder Bachchu Kadu, who switched to the Eknath Shinde-led party today.

Bachchu Kadu joined Shiv Sena in the presence of Deputy CM Eknath Shinde in Mumbai. He had earlier lost the 2024 Assembly elections from the Achalpur constituency to BJP leader Pravin Vasantrao Tayade by a margin of 12,131 (5.7 per cent) votes.

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April 30 is the last date for filing nominations. Scrutiny of nominations will be conducted on May 2, while candidates can withdraw their nominations until May 4.

Polling for the Legislative Council elections is scheduled to be held on May 12, with counting of votes to take place on the same day.