പുണെ ടീച്ചേഴ്സ് സീറ്റിലെ ബിജെപി സ്ഥാനാർത്ഥി പ്രഖ്യാപനം: മഹാവികാസ് അഘാഡി സഖ്യത്തിൽ ഭിന്നത രൂക്ഷമാകുന്നു

Mumbai: The BJP on Sunday announced candidates for the three Maharashtra Legislative Council seats allotted to it, dropping Sharad Lad and fielding Dr Smita Yogesh Jadhav from the Pune Graduates' constituency.

Sudhakar Kohale will contest from Nagpur Graduates, while Kaustubh Gawde has been nominated from Pune Teachers.

The BJP's decision to contest the Pune Teachers' seat has triggered speculation about a possible rebellion within the ruling Mahayuti alliance, with two former officers associated with Shiv Sena leaders -- Mangesh Chivate and Sachin Sanap -- having sought the seat.

Chivate, a former Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to Deputy Chief Minister and Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde, has said he will file his nomination, citing teachers' support and instructions from Mr Shinde.

Maharashtra BJP president Ravindra Chavan travelled to Delhi on Saturday with the list of aspirants for the three seats.

He held discussions with the party's central leadership and subsequently met BJP national president Nitin Nabin.

The names were finalised and announced on Sunday afternoon.

A BJP insider said the state unit had sent around a dozen names of aspirants for the Pune Graduates', Nagpur Graduates' and Pune Teachers' constituencies.

The party high command selected Dr Jadhav, Mr Kohale and Mr Gawde after discussions with state BJP leaders, including Mr Chavan and Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

Dr Jadhav's candidature has surprised several BJP leaders and is being seen as a setback for Mr Lad, whose name had been widely discussed as the party's likely candidate for Pune Graduates.

Mr Gawde, chief executive officer of the Shri Swami Vivekanand Shikshan Sanstha in Kolhapur, will contest the Pune Teachers' constituency against sitting Congress legislator Jayant Asgaonkar, who has been renominated by the Congress.

The contest is thus expected to be a direct BJP-Congress fight, although the possibility of a Mahayuti rebel entering the fray could add another dimension to the election.

Mr Chivate, who served as an OSD to Mr Shinde and is known as an "Arogyadoot", had been seeking the BJP ticket for Pune Teachers and had publicly maintained that he would contest the election.

Speaking to this newspaper on Sunday, Mr Chivate said he would file his nomination papers on Tuesday at 11 a.m. "Shiv Sena chief Eknath Shinde has instructed me to file the nomination," he said.

His statement indicates that the possibility of a Mahayuti rebel contesting against the BJP candidate remains open.

A BJP leader said the Shiv Sena was still insisting on contesting the Pune Teachers' constituency despite the BJP announcing its candidate.

The BJP leadership is expected to discuss the issue with Mr Shinde before the deadline for withdrawal of nominations.

"Let our alliance partner file the nomination for the Pune Teachers' constituency.

Our leadership will hold discussions and find a way out," the BJP leader said.

Candidates can file their nominations for the five constituencies until October 6. Scrutiny will be held on October 7, while October 9 is the last date for withdrawal of nominations.

Polling for the five Maharashtra Legislative Council seats -- Aurangabad, Nagpur and Pune Graduates' constituencies, and Pune and Amravati Teachers' constituencies -- will be held on October 23.