Mumbai,  The Bharatiya Janata Party announced the names of five candidates for the upcoming June 20 elections to the Maharashtra Legislative Council, here on Wednesday.

State Party President Chandrakant Patil said the BJP central office has cleared the Leader of Opposition (Council) Pravin Y. Darekar, ex-minister Prof Ram S. Shinde, state organisation leader Shrikant Bhartiya, women's wing leader Uma G. Khapre and a sitting member Prasad M. Lad.

Contrary to expectations, the party has decided against fielding BJP national secretary and ex-minister Pankaja Munde, the daughter of former union minister the late Gopinath Munde, and BJP ally and ex-minister Sadabhau Khot.

Downplaying the development of Munde, Patil said that in politics there are never any 'full-stops' but only 'commas', indicating some other responsibility may be in store for her.

The polls for the 10 MLC seats shall be held on June 20, ten days after the much keenly contested Rajya Sabha elections for six seats, due on Friday, June 10.

The ruling Maha Vikas Aghadi (MVA) comprising Shiv Sena-Nationalist Congress Party-Congress are expected to announce their candidates for the MLC elections shortly.