BJP announces candidates for Maharashtra Legislative Council elections

On October 4, 2026, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) confirmed the selection of three candidates for the upcoming biennial elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council. The candidates include Dr. Smita Jadhav for the Pune Division Graduates’ constituency, Sudhakar Vitthalrao Kohle, a former MLA, for the Nagpur Division Graduates’ constituency, and Kaustubh Muralidhar Gawde for the Pune Division Teachers’ constituency. This information was first reported by various Indian media outlets, including the Free Press Journal, which noted that the announcement originated from the BJP central office in New Delhi. The Times of India also reported the same names that day, underscoring the significance of the announcement [1].

The Election Commission of India had previously declared the schedule for the biennial elections, which will be held on October 23, 2026. Counting of votes will occur on October 27, with the entire electoral process concluding by October 31. Five seats are up for grabs: Aurangabad Division Graduates’, Pune Division Graduates’, Nagpur Division Graduates’, Amravati Division Teachers’, and Pune Division Teachers’. These seats are vacated as the terms of current members will end on December 6, 2026 [2].

The BJP's candidate nominations appear to align with a seat-sharing arrangement within the ruling Mahayuti alliance. The New Indian Express reported that the alliance has finalized a 3:1:1 seat-sharing formula, with the BJP contesting three seats while their allies, Shiv Sena and the NCP, will contest one seat each. This arrangement corresponds directly to the three constituencies for which the BJP has announced candidates, according to reporting by Free Press Journal [3].

Currently, there are no confirmed voting results or formal withdrawals of nominations, as the announcements pertain solely to candidate selections ahead of the imminent nomination deadlines. According to a report from PTI, as reproduced by Free Press Journal, the formal notification for the election was issued on September 29, 2026. Notably, the deadline for candidate nominations is October 6, followed by scrutiny on October 7, and withdrawals permitted until October 9. The election will take place on October 23 [4].

It's important to highlight that this announcement is distinct from a previous one surrounding a Legislative Council bypoll that occurred earlier in 2026, specifically associated with different vacancies and candidates. This current development relates specifically to the upcoming graduate and teachers' biennial elections [5].

Sources

• [1] www.freepressjournal.in
• [2] MLC polls for five seats in Maharashtra on October 23 - The Economic Times
• [3] Mahayuti finalises MLC polls pact: BJP gets three seats, Sena and NCP one each
• [4] Maharashtra: BJP Announces 3 Candidates For October 23 MLC Polls; Check Details
• [5] Maharashtra Legislative Council bypolls: BJP announces 3 candidates | Mumbai News - The Indian Express

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