Knowing fully well that the number game is in its favour, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has named its three candidates for the Maharashtra Legislative Council by-polls. These polls are being held for the five seats that fell vacant after the members got elected to the Lower House in the Assembly elections conducted in November 2024. BJP announced the names of three candidates--Sandip Joshi (Nagpur), Dadarao Keche (Arvi) and Sanjay Kenekar (Chhatrapati Sambhaji Nagar).

 

The five candidates who were elected to Assembly include Amshya Padvi (Shiv Sena - Shinde), Pravin Datke (BJP), Rajesh Vitekar (NCP - Ajit Pawar), Ramesh Karad (BJP) and Gopichand Padalkar (BJP). The BJP central leadership announced the three candidates after their names were cleared by the party’s Central Election Committee. Two seats have been left for its allies-- the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and Ajit Pawar-led NCP. Considering the strength of Mahayuti (BJP, Shiv Sena - Shinde and NCP - Ajit Pawar) in the assembly all candidates are likely to be elected unopposed. Monday (March 17) is the last date for filing nominations. By-polls will be held on March 27 and counting will be the same day. 

 

 

Sandip Joshi is former Mayor of Nagpur, who became Standing Committee Chairman of Nagpur Municipal Corporation twice. He was Ruling Party Leader in NMC. He is known for his organising skills. His father Diwakarrao Joshi had won election from Teachers’ Constituency. If Sandip Joshi wins the election, it would be a notable example of a father and son becoming Members of the Legislative Council. Dadarao Yadavrao Keche is a former MLA who won the 2009 and 2019 assembly elections from Arvi constituency in Wardha district of the Vidarbha region. Keche was denied ticket for the 2024 polls as the BJP then fielded young Sumit Wankhede from the Arvi seat, but he was promised MLC ticket.

 

 

In this MLC by-polls, all 288 MLAs of State Assembly will exercise their franchise. Since there are five seats, they will get five ballot papers. As per the rule and considering number of candidates and votes to be polled, the candidates winning 145 first preference votes will be declared winner. Considering Mahayuti’s 232 candidates, the alliance is likely to win the polls. Political pundits say, the opposition may not field the candidates to pave way for Mahayuti’s unopposed victory. 

 

 

For five posts of MLC by-polls, the formula of sitting getting has been applied. Of five candidates who were elected in Assembly polls, three were from BJP, one each was from Shiv Sena and NCP. The term of all BJP candidates- Pravin Datke, Ramesh Karad and Gopichand Padalkar is of 14 months (It is ending on May 13, 2026, that of Shiv Sena is of 40 months--Amashya Padvi is ending on July 7, 2028. The largest term is of Rajesh Vitekar (5 and a half years) which is ending on July 27, 2030.