Shiv Sena to nominate CM Uddhav Thackeray and Neelam Gorhe for MLC seats : Sources

With the Election commission clearing Uddhav Thackeray's path to the state council, sources on Monday, reported that Thackeray and current Deputy state Council chairman Dr. Neelam Gorhe have been chosen as Shiv Sena's candidates to the state council in the upcoming elections of the 9 vacant MLC seats. On Friday, the Election Commission of India (ECI) to hold elections to the Legislative Council in Maharashtra after 21 days - prior to Thackeray's term expires. This decision had occurred after Governor Bhagat  Singh Koshyari had requested the same. Gorhe is a 3-time MLC whose term expired on April 24, 2020, while Thackeray has never held an elected post.

Election Commission decides to hold MLC elections in Maharashtra amid CM Uddhav's deadline

Governor asks EC to hold snap elections

The Governor had pointed out that Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray who is not a member of either house of the State Legislature needs to get elected to the Council before 27th May 2020. This development comes a day after Thackeray spoke to PM Modi over the governor's delay in nominating him to the council. The nine seats of MLC by MLAs became vacant on April 24,  held by Neelam Diwakar Gorhe, Hemant Prabhakar Takle, Anand Rajendra Thakur, Smita Uday Wagh, Prithviraj Sayajirao Deshmukh, Kiran Jagannath Pawaskar, Arunbhau Janardan Adasad, Chandrakant Batesing Raghuvanshi and Harisingh Narsu Rathod.

Election Commission calls meeting to decide on Maharashtra MLC polls after Guv's request

Maharashtra cabinet reminds governor

On April 27, the state cabinet sent a reminder to Governor Koshyari on nominating Thackeray to the Maharashtra legislative council as the governor's pick. Koshyari is yet to accept the nomination, as two seats from governor's quota are currently unfilled - after 2 NCP councillors resigned to join BJP. After the cabinet's reminder, two PILs have been filed with the Bombay High Court, urging for holding immediate elections to get Thackeray elected to the Council.

Maharashtra Guv writes to EC over MLC polls, refuses to nominate CM Uddhav Thackeray

Earlier on April 9, Maharashtra cabinet picked Thackeray to be the governor's nominee to the Maharashtra state council. Koshyari had earlier rejected NCP's two nominees stating that election for the two seats will be held in June and there was no emergency prior to that. But with the postponement of MLC polls due to Coronavirus (COVID-19) spread in the state, Thackeray is yet to be elected to either legislative body. If he is not elected to the Council by six months of taking oath as CM- which will end on May 28, Thackeray will have to resign as CM.

As delay over MLC nomination persists, Maha CM Uddhav Thackeray dials PM Modi: Sources