The Shiv Sena and the NCP, partners in the ruling Mahayuti alliance, on Monday announced one candidate each for the 27 March by-polls to five seats in the Maharashtra Legislative Council.

The Shiv Sena has nominated Chandrakant Raghuvanshi, a prominent party worker from Nandurbar district, while the NCP has fielded Sanjay Khodke, whose wife won the 2024 state assembly election.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had earlier announced the candidature of Sandeep Joshi, former mayor of Nagpur and a close aide of Fadnavis, along with Sanjay Kenekar, state BJP general secretary, and former MLA Dadarao Keche for three seats on Sunday.

The by-elections for these five seats are likely to be uncontested. The seats became vacant in the Legislative Council after sitting members won assembly elections last year.

Today is the last day to file nominations for the 27 March by-elections. The nominations will be scrutinised on Tuesday, and candidates can withdraw from the fray by 20 March.

If no more than five candidates file nominations, the election will be uncontested. Opposition parties have not fielded any candidates.