Maharashtra Chief Minister UddhavThackeray and four other candidates from the ruling alliance filed their nominations on Monday for the May 21 MLC polls.The chief minister, who is currently not a member of either of the Houses of the state Legislature, submitted his nomination papers to the election officer here.He was accompanied by his wife Rashmi Thackeray, son and state Cabinet minister Aaditya Thackeray and Shiv Sena's Rajya Sabha member Sanjay Raut.Neelam Gorhe, the deputy chairperson of Maharashtra Legislative Council, also filed her nomination papers from the Shiv Sena.Besides, NCP leaders Shashikant Shinde and Amol Mitkari and Congress' Rajesh Rathod also filed their papers.Elections for nine seats of the state Legislative Council are scheduled on May 21.The ruling Maharashtra Vikas Aghadi, comprising the Shiv Sena, NCP and Congress, has fielded five candidates.Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray, who is also president of the Shiv Sena, is set to enter the Legislative Council unopposed as the Congress on Sunday announced that it would withdraw one of its two nominees.The opposition BJP has announced four candidates - Ranjitsinh Mohite Patil, Gopichand Padalkar, Praveen Datke and Ajit Gopchhade - who filed their nominations on Friday.Monday is the last day for filing nominations. The scrutiny of papers will take place on Tuesday and the last date for withdrawal of papers is May 14.
