An eighth BJP candidate on Thursday filed nomination for the Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, setting the stage for a contest with the Samajwadi Party.

Sanjay Seth, a former Samajwadi Party leader who joined the BJP in 2019, filed his nomination in the presence of Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya, state party president Bhupendra Chaudhary and other senior leaders.

Elections will be held for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh. Seven BJP candidates filed their nominations on Wednesday. The Samajwadi Party have fielded three candidates, who filed their nominations on Tuesday.

With the BJP fielding its eighth candidate, a keen contest is on the cards in one of the seats.

Thursday was the last date for filing nominations for the Rajya Sabha elections. Voting will take place on February 27 and the results will be declared on the same day.

Expressing confidence about the victory of the party's eighth candidate, state BJP president Chaudhary told reporters, "We have over two-thirds majority in Vidhan Sabha and many people are influenced by the work done under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath." Seth said, "We are with the progress being achieved under Prime Minister Narendra Modi." In the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly, the BJP has 252 members, Samajwadi Party 108 and the Congress has two members. The SP and the Congress are the opposition parties in the state and are also partners in the INDIA bloc.

BJP ally Apna Dal (Sonelal) has 13 members in the House, while Nirbal Indian Shoshit Hamara Apna Dal (NISHAD) Party has six members.

There are nine members of RLD, six members of Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP), two members of Jansatta Dal Loktantrik and one member of BSP. Four seats are currently vacant.

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