Maharashtra Legislative Council 2026: BJP and Congress Name Candidates for MLC Polls

Political activity surrounding the महाराष्ट्र विधान परिषद (Maharashtra Legislative Council) has intensified as the BJP and Congress have begun announcing candidates for the upcoming biennial elections. In early October 2026, both parties revealed nominees specifically tailored for the Graduate and Teachers constituencies, which are elected by specialized professional electorates rather than the general public.

The current strategy from both major parties involves fielding candidates with high-profile academic and professional credentials to appeal to the specific demographics of these seats.

BJP’s Nominations for Graduate and Teacher Seats

On 4 October 2026, the BJP announced three candidates for the Pune and Nagpur regions [1]. The selections highlight a mix of media influence and educational administration:

• Dr. Smita Jadhav: Nominated for the Pune Graduates constituency. She is the Director of 'Pudhari' Publications. According to party officials, while her name was announced on October 4, she was scheduled to formally join the BJP that same evening in Pune [1].
• Sudhakar Viththalrao Kohale: Nominated for the Nagpur Graduates constituency. Kohale serves as the CEO of Shri Swami Vivekananda Shikshan Sanstha and is described as a close associate of Devendra Fadnavis [1].
• Kaushtub Murli Dhar Gavde: Nominated for the Pune Teachers constituency [1].

Congress Strategy for Amravati Teachers Constituency

The Congress party has focused its early announcements on the Amravati Teachers seat, naming Prof. Aditi Rishikesh Pohare as its candidate [2]. Prof. Pohare formally joined the party on 3 October 2026 at the 'Tilak Bhavan' headquarters in Mumbai.

Prof. Pohare, 41, possesses an academic background including an ME in Structural Design from the Government College of Engineering, Amravati, and an MA in Psychology from IGNOU. She is the president of the Shri Shivaji Education Society in Amravati and the daughter of former minister Harshvardhan Deshmukh [2].

Constituency Context: The Amravati Teachers Seat

The Amravati Teachers constituency is historically competitive, spanning five districts: Amravati, Akola, Buldhana, Yavatmal, and Washim. The seat has seen a shift toward independent representation in recent years. In the 2020 election, independent candidate Advocate Kiran Ramrao Sarnaik won the seat, defeating the then-incumbent Prof. Shrikant Deshpande [2].