Archive · 7 Oct 2026
Mahayuti and MVA Face Rebellions Ahead of Maharashtra Council Polls
Maharashtra is holding elections for five seats on its Legislative Council.
Three seats are for graduates’ constituencies, and two are for teachers’ constituencies.
Voting is planned for October 23, and the votes will be counted on October 27.
The Mahayuti and MVA alliances have chosen candidates, but some other candidates have also filed to run.
In some places, parties that belong to the same alliance have nominated candidates for the same seat.
NCP leader Sunil Tatkare said alliance partners should discuss how to share seats.
Registered graduates and teachers who live in the relevant areas can vote.
Five Maharashtra Legislative Council seats—three Graduates’ and two Teachers’ constituencies—are up for election, with polling on October 23 and counting on October 27.
Aspirants have filed nominations against official candidates, while disagreements have also emerged between parties within the Mahayuti and MVA alliances.
In Nagpur Graduates’, Congress nominated sitting MLC Abhijeet Wanjari, BJP nominated Sudhakar Kohale, and former BJP MLC Anil Sole filed as an independent.
In Amravati Teachers’, Congress nominated Aditi Pohare, Mahayuti nominated sitting MLC Kiran Sarnaik, and Shiv Sena (UBT) nominated Dattatray Lahane; Shiv Sena (UBT) also fielded Dilip Ghuge in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Graduates’.
The Pune Teachers’ seat drew nominations from BJP’s Kaustubh Gawde, ally Shiv Sena’s Mangesh Chivte and Congress’s Jayant Asgaonkar; NCP leader Sunil Tatkare said seat-sharing should be resolved through discussions.
- Who
- Candidates from the Mahayuti and MVA parties, along with independent and other aspirants.
- What
- Biennial elections for five Maharashtra Legislative Council seats.
- When
- Polling is scheduled for October 23; counting is scheduled for October 27.
- Where
- Pune Division Graduates’, Nagpur Division Graduates’, Pune Division Teachers’, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Graduates’ and Amravati Teachers’ constituencies in Maharashtra.
- Why
- To elect members to five seats in the 78-member legislative council.
Alliance and party nominees
Additional and rival candidates
Contested nominations
Alliance and party nominees
Parties and alliances have announced nominees for the council constituencies.
Additional and rival candidates
Disgruntled aspirants and candidates from alliance partners have filed nominations against or alongside those nominees.
Pune Graduates’ seat-sharing
Alliance and party nominees
The NCP had hoped to receive the Pune Graduates’ seat under the alliance arrangement.
Additional and rival candidates
The seat had not been allocated to the NCP when Sunil Tatkare spoke; he said partners should discuss the matter amicably.
- Seats
- Five: three Graduates’ and two Teachers’ constituencies
- Council size
- 78 members
- Polling
- October 23
- Vote counting
- October 27
- Nagpur Graduates’
- Abhijeet Wanjari (Congress), Sudhakar Kohale (BJP), and independent candidate Anil Sole
- Amravati Teachers’
- Aditi Pohare (Congress), Kiran Sarnaik (Mahayuti), and Dattatray Lahane (Shiv Sena (UBT))
- Eligibility
- Registered graduates and teachers residing within the respective geographical divisions can vote
- Nominations reported
- The articles report 62 candidates for Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Graduates’ and 59 for Pune Teachers’