BJP nears solo majority in Maharashtra Legislative Council; LoP tussle grips Opposition
Synopsis
The BJP now holds 35 of 73 active seats in Maharashtra's Legislative Council and could touch an outright solo majority within months — through Governor nominations and upcoming biennial polls. While the ruling Mahayuti alliance consolidates institutional control, the Opposition is paralysed by a Congress vs Shiv Sena (UBT) fight over who leads the Opposition Bench.
Key Takeaways
BJP holds 35 seats in the currently active 73-member Maharashtra Legislative Council , approaching a solo majority of 39 .
Pending 3 Governor-nominated seats could push BJP's tally to 38 — one short of a standalone majority.
Biennial elections for 5 Graduate and Teacher constituencies expected by year-end; winning 3 would give BJP a 40-plus seat majority.
Independent MLC Gokul Gite (Nashik) has joined Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena , taking their MLC count to 12 .
Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) are locked in a dispute over the Leader of the Opposition post, with no resolution imminent.
House strength has risen from 47 to 73 members over the past two months following fresh inductions.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has emerged as the single most dominant force in the Maharashtra Legislative Council, commanding 35 seats in the currently active 73-member upper house — inching closer to an absolute majority on its own. Simultaneously, the Opposition is locked in a bitter internal dispute over the vacant Leader of the Opposition (LoP) post, with no resolution in sight in the immediate term.
BJP's Rising Strength in the Upper House
The 78-member Maharashtra Legislative Council requires a simple majority of 39 seats. With the BJP already at 35, political observers note that the party is on the cusp of a historic standalone majority. The rapid consolidation follows a significant restoration of House strength — from just 47 active members two months ago to the current 73, after the induction of 9 members via the state Assembly in May and 17 members from Local Authorities' constituencies.
Governor-Nominated Seats: The Final Push
Of the 12 Governor-nominated seats, seven have already been filled. Seat-sharing discussions within the ruling Mahayuti alliance indicate that the BJP is slated to receive three of the remaining five vacant nominations, with Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena and the Ajit Pawar-led Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) likely to receive one each. Should these appointments materialise, the BJP's tally would rise from 35 to 38 — just one seat short of a standalone majority.
Biennial Elections: A Golden Opportunity Ahead
By the end of 2025, biennial elections for 5 Graduate and Teacher constituencies are scheduled. Political analysts view these contests as a critical opportunity for the BJP to extend its reach further. If the party secures even 3 of the 5 seats, its tally would breach the 40-plus mark, granting it an outright majority entirely on its own — a historic first for the party in the upper house. Notably, independent winner Gokul Gite from the Nashik Local Authorities' constituency has already joined Eknath Shinde's Shiv Sena, lifting that party's MLC count to 12.
Leadership Posts and Alliance Dynamics
The Chairman's post is already held by BJP's Ram Shinde. A decision on the Deputy Chairperson position is expected this week, with Dr Neelam Gorhe of the Shinde-led Shiv Sena widely tipped to return to the role. These appointments further consolidate the Mahayuti alliance's grip on the upper house's institutional architecture.
Opposition Divided Over LoP Post
While the ruling alliance tightens its hold, the Opposition remains fractured. Both the Indian National Congress (Congress) and the Uddhav Thackeray-led Shiv Sena (UBT) have staked competing claims to the vacant LoP post. A resolution is unlikely in the immediate days of the ongoing session, leaving the Opposition Bench without a unified voice at a critical juncture. This internal contest reflects the broader challenge facing the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) in mounting a cohesive challenge to the ruling bloc. With the BJP potentially weeks away from a solo majority, the Opposition's ability to coalesce around a single leader will be a defining test of its legislative relevance.
Point of View
Governor-nomination leverage, and defection-friendly conditions to entrench itself in a chamber that was barely functional two months ago. What is often missed is that a solo BJP majority would fundamentally alter the upper house's role as a check on the Assembly: with the Chairman's post already held by the BJP and the Deputy Chair likely returning to a Mahayuti ally, the institutional architecture of the Council would be entirely ruling-bloc-controlled. The Opposition's failure to agree on an LoP is not merely an optics problem — it signals a deeper strategic vacuum in the MVA that the BJP will likely exploit well before the next biennial polls.
NationPress
23 Jun 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
How close is the BJP to a majority in the Maharashtra Legislative Council?
The BJP currently holds 35 seats in the 73-member active house, where a simple majority requires 39 seats. With 3 additional Governor-nominated seats expected, the tally could reach 38 — just one short of a standalone majority.
What are the Governor-nominated seats and how do they affect BJP's count?
The Maharashtra Legislative Council has 12 Governor-nominated seats, of which 7 are already filled. Of the remaining 5, alliance discussions suggest BJP will receive 3, Shiv Sena (Shinde) 1, and NCP (Ajit Pawar) 1, which would raise BJP's individual strength to 38.
When are the next biennial elections for the Legislative Council?
Biennial elections for 5 Graduate and Teacher constituencies are expected by the end of 2025. If BJP wins at least 3 of these seats, its tally would cross 40, giving it an outright solo majority.
Why is the Leader of the Opposition post vacant and contested?
The LoP post in the Maharashtra Legislative Council is currently vacant, with both Congress and Shiv Sena (UBT) — the two main Opposition parties — staking competing claims. A resolution is not expected in the immediate days of the ongoing session.
What is the current full strength of the Maharashtra Legislative Council?
The Council has a full strength of 78 members, but is currently active with 73 members. The house was significantly depleted just two months ago, with only 47 members, before 26 new members were inducted through Assembly and Local Authorities' elections.
