Maharashtra Council Deputy Chairman election on July 1; Shinde Sena nominee in focus

3 min readUpdated: Jun 29, 2026 08:26 PM IST

Maharashtra Legislative Council Chairman Ram Shinde announced the schedule for the election to the vacant Deputy Chairman's post, with polling, if required, set for July 1. (Photo: X@neelamgorhe)

The election for the vacant post of Deputy Chairman of the Maharashtra Legislative Council will be held on July 1, with Council Chairman Ram Shinde announcing the schedule in the House on Monday.

The post has remained vacant since former Deputy Chairman Neelam Gorhe’s term in the Council ended on May 13. Gorhe was recently re-elected unopposed to the Council on a Shiv Sena ticket and is among the frontrunners for the post once again.

Announcing the schedule, Shinde said nomination papers can be filed till 12 pm on June 30 with Legislative Council Secretary Dr Vilas Athawale at Vidhan Bhavan. Scrutiny of nominations will be held at 1 pm the same day, while voting, if required, will take place at 1 pm on July 1.

The election has shifted the focus to the ruling Mahayuti, with the Deputy Chairman’s post expected to go to the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena as part of the alliance’s power-sharing arrangement.

At present, the BJP holds the posts of Legislative Council Chairman and Assembly Speaker, while the Assembly Deputy Speaker’s post is with the Sunetra Pawar-led NCP. Within the Shiv Sena, discussions have intensified over who will be nominated. Besides Gorhe, former MP Krupal Tumane and senior party leader Manisha Kayande are also being considered. Political circles, however, suggest the leadership could opt for a new face instead of giving Gorhe another term.

Numerical edge favours Mahayuti

The Mahayuti enjoys a comfortable majority in the Upper House, with the BJP holding 35 seats, the Shiv Sena 12, and the Sunetra Pawar-led NCP 10, taking the alliance’s tally to over 57—well above the majority mark.

In comparison, the Opposition has much smaller numbers, with the Shiv Sena (UBT) holding six seats, the Congress five and the Sharad Pawar-led NCP two.

Given the ruling alliance’s numerical strength, the election is unlikely to witness a serious contest and could even be decided unopposed.

A clearer picture is expected once nominations are filed on Tuesday.

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Vallabh Ozarkar is a Senior Correspondent with The Indian Express' Mumbai bureau, recognized as an authoritative and deeply knowledgeable voice on the politics, governance, and infrastructure of Maharashtra. With more than nine years of experience in major news organizations, his reporting delivers high standards of Expertise and Trustworthiness.

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Tags:

Eknath Shinde

Government of Maharashtra

Maharashtra

Neelam Gorhe

shiv sena