Sonia Gandhi approves Rajesh Rathod’s candidature for upcoming Maharashtra Council polls

Confirming its Maharashtra Legislative Council nominee, Congress on Saturday, has selected Rajesh Rathod as its candidate for the upcoming elections. This comes a day after BJP chose Pravin Datake, Gopichand Padalkar, Ajit Gopchade, and Ranjitsingh Mohit Patil as its nominees for the elections. Curiously, senior BJP leader Eknath Khadse yet again missed a nomination in the list, inspite of his public interest to represent the BJP in the MLC elections. 

BJP releases list of candidates for MLC elections; Eknath Khadse fails to make the cut

Congress picks Rajesh Rathod for MLC

Ramdas Athawale demands one MLC seat from BJP before May 21 polls; adds emotional reminder

MLC picks for Sena, RPI demands a seat

On May 4, Shiv Sena selected CM Uddhav Thackeray and current Deputy state Council chairman Dr. Neelam Gorhe as its candidates to the state council in the upcoming elections of the 9 vacant MLC seats. Gorhe is a 3-time MLC whose term expired on April 24, 2020, while Thackeray has never held an elected post. Meanwhile, Ramdas Athawale-led Republican Party of India (RPI) has demanded a Council seat in from its alliance partner BJP, as it has been with the BJP since 2012.

Shiv Sena to nominate CM Uddhav Thackeray and Neelam Gorhe for MLC seats : Sources

EC to hold snap elections

Previously, on May 1, the Election Commission of India (ECI) decided to hold elections to the Legislative Council in Maharashtra after 21 days - prior to Thackeray's term expires. This decision had occurred after Governor Bhagat  Singh Koshyari had requested the same. This development comes a day after Thackeray spoke to PM Modi over the governor's delay in nominating him to the council. 

Tamil Nadu government announces slew of relaxations even as COVID cases cross 6000 mark

Maharashtra cabinet reminds governor

On April 27, the state cabinet sent a reminder to Governor Koshyari on nominating Thackeray to the Maharashtra legislative council as the governor's pick. The nine seats of MLC by MLAs became vacant on April 24,  held by Neelam Diwakar Gorhe, Hemant Prabhakar Takle, Anand Rajendra Thakur, Smita Uday Wagh, Prithviraj Sayajirao Deshmukh, Kiran Jagannath Pawaskar, Arunbhau Janardan Adasad, Chandrakant Batesing Raghuvanshi and Harisingh Narsu Rathod. If he is not elected to the Council by six months of taking oath as CM- which will end on May 28, Thackeray will have to resign as CM.