Mumbai, June 8
The BJP on Wednesday announced the names of five candidates for the elections to the 10 seats of the Maharashtra Legislative Council, but former minister Pankaja Munde’s name was not in the list.
Earlier, there was speculation that the party may nominate late BJP leader Gopinath Munde’s daughter Pankaja Munde for the MLC elections to be held on June 20.
According to a release issued by the BJP, it has nominated Praveen Yashwant Darekar (currently Leader of the Opposition in the Council), Ram Shankar Shinde (former minister), Shrikant Bhartiya, Uma Girish Khapre (head of BJP’s state women’s wing) and Prasad Minesh Lad. has chosen. as its candidates for election.
The retired members include Legislative Council Speaker Ramraje Naik Nimbalkar, state Industries Minister Subhash Desai, Diwakar Raote (both from Shiv Sena), LOP Darekar, Prasad Lad, Maratha leader Vinayak Mete and former minister Sadabhou Khot.
The members of the State Legislative Assembly constitute the electoral college for these elections.
The BJP has 106 MLAs in the 288-member house. It has the power to comfortably get its four members to the Upper House of the Legislature.