Archive · 4 Oct 2026
Mahayuti and MVA Struggle to Finalize Maharashtra Council Seat-Sharing
Five seats in Maharashtra’s Legislative Council are up for election on October 23.
The parties that govern the state and the opposition parties are still trying to decide who will run in each seat.
In the opposition alliance, Congress announced three candidates before agreeing with its partners.
This upset its allies, and parties are disputing who should contest two of the seats.
In the ruling alliance, a proposed plan gives three seats to the BJP and one each to two allies, but Shiv Sena has not agreed.
Shiv Sena also has two leaders planning to run for the Pune Teachers’ seat.
The parties are expected to continue their talks on Sunday.
Candidates must file nominations by October 6.
The BJP-led Mahayuti and opposition MVA have not finalized seat-sharing for five Maharashtra Legislative Council elections scheduled for October 23.
MVA talks stalled after Congress announced candidates for three constituencies without consulting its allies.
The MVA’s main disputes concern the Amravati Teachers’ and Aurangabad Graduates’ seats; another meeting is planned for Sunday evening.
Mahayuti insiders say a formula allocating three seats to BJP and one each to Shinde’s Shiv Sena and NCP has been proposed, but Shiv Sena has not accepted it.
Within Shiv Sena, Mangesh Chivate and Sachin Sanap both say they will file nominations for Pune Teachers’; BJP MP Dhananjay Mahadik also said BJP could contest that seat.
- Who
- The BJP-led Mahayuti and the opposition Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA), including Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT) and NCP (SP).
- What
- The alliances are negotiating seat-sharing for five Maharashtra Legislative Council constituencies.
- When
- The election is scheduled for October 23; nominations can be filed until October 6. MVA talks are due to resume Sunday evening.
- Where
- Maharashtra; MVA leaders met at the Grand Hyatt hotel in Mumbai.
- Why
- The parties have competing claims to constituencies, and Congress announced candidates without consulting its MVA allies.
Competing claims
Other parties’ positions
MVA seat allocation
Competing claims
Congress announced candidates for Amravati Teachers’, Nagpur Graduates’ and Pune Teachers’ without consulting its allies.
Other parties’ positions
Shiv Sena (UBT) has claimed Amravati Teachers’ and Aurangabad Graduates’; NCP (SP) also claims Aurangabad Graduates’. MVA leaders questioned Congress’s unilateral announcement.
Mahayuti seat allocation
Competing claims
A proposed formula gives the BJP three seats and the Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP one each; the Shiv Sena has not accepted it and wants Pune Teachers’ in addition to Amravati Teachers’.
Other parties’ positions
BJP MP Dhananjay Mahadik said the BJP was willing to contest both Pune Graduates’ and Pune Teachers’.
Pune Teachers’ candidature
Competing claims
Shiv Sena leaders Mangesh Chivate and Sachin Sanap have each announced plans to file nominations from the constituency.
Other parties’ positions
The seat is also part of the wider Mahayuti negotiations, with Mahadik saying the BJP could contest it.
- Election date
- October 23
- Seats being contested
- Five Maharashtra Legislative Council seats
- Constituencies
- Aurangabad, Nagpur and Pune Graduates’; Pune and Amravati Teachers’
- Nomination deadline
- October 6
- Nomination scrutiny
- October 7
- Withdrawal deadline
- October 9
- Proposed Mahayuti formula
- BJP three seats; Shinde-led Shiv Sena and NCP one seat each