With the Maharashtra Legislative Council elections approaching, the Indian National Congress has decided to extend support to Ambadas Danve, the candidate nominated by Shiv Sena (UBT), even as signs of disagreement emerge within the opposition alliance over election strategy.

The decision was confirmed after Aaditya Thackeray announced that party chief Uddhav Thackeray had chosen Ambadas Danve as the party’s nominee for the upcoming Legislative Council contest.

Soon after the announcement, Maharashtra Congress president Harshwardhan Sapkal indicated that the Congress also intends to field a candidate of its own, although the party has not yet finalised the name.

The development has highlighted emerging tensions within the Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) alliance, which includes the Indian National Congress, Shiv Sena (UBT), and the Nationalist Congress Party (Sharad Pawar faction).

Despite the uncertainty, Ambadas Danve has expressed confidence that all alliance partners will back his candidature, saying he considers himself the joint nominee of the opposition bloc.

The upcoming Legislative Council elections, scheduled for May 12, will decide nine seats, making coordination among alliance partners crucial, especially for the opposition, which is expected to face a tight contest against the ruling coalition.

On the ruling side, the Bharatiya Janata Party has already announced five nominees—Pramod Jathar, Sunil Vinayak Karjatkar, Madhavi Naik, Sanjay Natthuji Bhende, and Vivek Bipindada Kolhe—for the council elections. It has also nominated Pradnya Rajeev Satav for the bypoll to an additional seat.

The BJP’s allies, including Shiv Sena and the Nationalist Congress Party, are yet to announce their candidates.