The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has officially announced its five candidates for the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, which are scheduled for May 12. The candidates approved by the party's central leadership include Madhavi Naik, Sanjay Bhende, Sunil Karjatkar, Vivek Kolhe, and Pramod Jathar. This selection reflects the BJP's strategy to reward loyalists who have contributed to the party over the years. Karjatkar and Kolhe hail from Ahmednagar district, Bhende is from Nagpur, Naik represents Thane, and Jathar is from the Konkan region. Additionally, the party has nominated Pradnya Satav for a by-poll, following her resignation from Congress. The elections are critical as the BJP, with 137 MLAs, is expected to secure a majority in the council, while its alliance partner, Shiv Sena, will have two candidates and the Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) one. The last date for filing nominations is April 30, with scrutiny on May 2 and withdrawal on May 4. Results will be announced on the same day as voting.