SS(UBT) fields Ambadas Danve for Maha Council polls as Uddhav steps aside
Synopsis
Despite public pressure from Supriya Sule and the Congress to field Uddhav Thackeray himself, Shiv Sena (UBT) has gone with former Opposition Leader Ambadas Danve for the Maharashtra Legislative Council polls. With nominations closing Thursday and polling on 12 May, the real question is whether the MVA's fractured candidate-selection process will translate into a fractured campaign.
Key Takeaways
Shiv Sena (UBT) officially nominated Ambadas Danve for the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections on 29 April 2025 .
Uddhav Thackeray personally finalised the decision, opting not to contest despite pressure from alliance partners.
Both NCP (SP)'s Supriya Sule and the Congress had publicly backed Uddhav Thackeray's candidacy before the decision was announced.
The MVA has a combined legislative strength of 46 members — SS(UBT) 20, Congress 16, NCP(SP) 10.
Danve is set to file nomination papers on Thursday at 11:00 am , the last day for filing.
Polling for nine seats is scheduled on 12 May ; BJP has already announced its five nominees .
Shiv Sena (UBT) on Wednesday, 29 April officially named Ambadas Danve as its candidate for the upcoming Maharashtra Legislative Council elections, ending weeks of speculation over who would represent the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) for the seat. The decision was personally finalised by party chief Uddhav Thackeray, according to his son and MLA Aaditya Thackeray.
The Announcement
Aaditya Thackeray confirmed the nomination to reporters, stating: "Ambadas Danve will be the official candidate of the Maha Vikas Aghadi. This decision has been taken by Shiv Sena party chief Uddhav Thackeray." Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut reinforced the announcement on X, adding that Danve would file his nomination papers on Thursday at 11:00 am — the last day for filing nominations.
Why Uddhav Thackeray Stepped Aside
Alliance partners had mounted considerable pressure on Uddhav Thackeray to contest the seat himself. Nationalist Congress Party (SP) leader Supriya Sule had publicly urged Thackeray to represent the MVA in the Legislative Council, while the Indian National Congress had also announced its support for a Thackeray nomination. Despite these appeals, the senior Thackeray chose to field Danve, a former Leader of the Opposition in the Legislative Council, bypassing the alliance's preferred choice.
MVA's Legislative Arithmetic
The Maha Vikas Aghadi commands a combined strength of 46 legislators — Shiv Sena (UBT) 20, Congress 16, and NCP (SP) 10. Political observers are now watching closely to see whether Congress and NCP (SP) will offer unanimous and active support during Thursday's nomination filing, given that both had publicly backed a different candidate.
The Broader Council Election Context
The Shiv Sena (UBT) announcement comes a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) declared its five nominees for the state council elections. Polling is scheduled for 12 May for nine seats. A tenth seat is also up for election, where the BJP has nominated Pradnya Satav, who left the Congress, resigned as a member of the state council in December 2025, and subsequently joined the BJP.
What Comes Next
With nominations closing on Thursday, the immediate test for the MVA will be whether its three constituent parties present a unified front at the filing. The alliance's cohesion — already under scrutiny after the disagreement over the candidate choice — will be closely watched ahead of the 12 May polling date.
Point of View
But it carries a quiet cost — it signals that Thackeray is not yet ready to re-enter the legislature, even when his allies are openly asking him to. The MVA's public disagreement over the candidate, with Sule and Congress backing Uddhav while the party went another way, exposes fault lines in an alliance that already struggled to hold together through the last assembly election. Danve is a credible choice on paper, but the optics of alliance partners being overruled may dampen the enthusiasm — and the ground effort — that a unified front would have produced. The next 24 hours of nomination-day politics will reveal whether the MVA can paper over this internal divergence.
NationPress
1 May 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Ambadas Danve and why has he been nominated?
Ambadas Danve is a senior Shiv Sena (UBT) leader and former Leader of the Opposition in the Maharashtra Legislative Council. He has been nominated as the MVA's candidate for the upcoming Legislative Council elections, with the decision personally taken by party chief Uddhav Thackeray.
Why did Uddhav Thackeray not contest the Legislative Council elections himself?
Uddhav Thackeray chose not to contest despite public appeals from NCP (SP) leader Supriya Sule and the Congress, both of whom had announced support for his nomination. The party has not publicly stated the reasons for his decision to step aside in favour of Danve.
When is the last date to file nominations and when is polling?
Thursday, 30 April 2025 is the last day for filing nominations. Polling for nine Maharashtra Legislative Council seats is scheduled on 12 May 2025.
What is the MVA's combined strength in the Maharashtra legislature?
The Maha Vikas Aghadi has 46 legislators in total — Shiv Sena (UBT) with 20, Congress with 16, and NCP (SP) with 10 members.
What has the BJP done ahead of the Maharashtra Council elections?
The BJP declared its five nominees for the state council elections a day before the SS(UBT) announcement. It has also nominated Pradnya Satav, who left the Congress, resigned from the state council in December 2025, and joined the BJP, for a separate seat where polling is also on 12 May.
