Mumbai: The BJP on Sunday named three candidates for the five-seat Maharashtra Legislative Council biennial elections. The party nominated Dr Smita Jadhav for the Pune Division Graduates constituency, Former MLA Sudhakar Vitthalrao Kohle from the Nagpur Division Graduates seat and Kaustubh Muralidhar Gawde from the Pune Division Teachers constituency, according to an announcement by the BJP central office in New Delhi.

Jadhav, a director of Pudhari Publications, is expected to formally join the BJP in Pune on Sunday evening. Kohle is considered close to Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and heads the Shri Swami Vivekanand Shikshan Sanstha as its CEO.

The elections will be held for the Pune Division Graduates, Nagpur Division Graduates, Pune Division Teachers, Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar Graduates and Amravati Teachers constituencies. Polling is scheduled for October 23, with counting on October 27.

The ruling Mahayuti has worked out a 3:1:1 formula for the elections. The BJP will contest three seats, while the Eknath Shinde-led Shiv Sena and the Sunetra Pawar-led NCP will field candidates for one seat each.