BJP announces list of Legislative Council candidates, drops Pankaja Munde

Speaking on the issue, BJP state president Chandrakant Patil said " it's an organization decision taken by the party. We all tried to get her nominated." As for the meeting held by the Mahavikas Aghadi on Tuesday said that independent MLAs are unhappy. "One never knows what will happen. However, it is certain that three of our candidates will be elected for the Rajya Sabha," he added.

Mumbai (Maharashtra): BJP on Wednesday released the list of five candidates for the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council elections. Interestingly, the saffron party dropped the name of former Minister's daughter Pankaja Munde from the list of candidates.

The development puts an end to speculations that the BJP may nominate Pankaja, daughter of late BJP leader Gopinath Munde for the MLC elections. The polls are scheduled to be held on June 20.

The release by BJP stated that Pravin Yeshwant Darekar (current leader of opposition in the Council), Ram Shankar Shinde (former minister), Shrikant Bharatiya, Uma Girish Khapre (BJP's state women's wing chief), and Prasad Minesh Lad will be nominated by the party for the MLC elections.

The outgoing members include Legislative Council Chairman Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, state Industries Minister Subhash Desai, Diwakar Raote (both from the Shiv Sena), LoP Darekar, Prasad Lad, Maratha leader Vinayak Mete and former minister Sadabhau Khot. The electoral college for the MLC polls is constituted by the MLAs. Having 106 MLAs in the 288-member House, BJP has the numbers to comfortably get four of its candidates elected to the Upper Houe of the State Assembly.

(With Agency inputs)