BJP's Nishad files nomination for Rajya Sabha bypolls in Uttar Pradesh, set to win uncontested

BJP candidate Jai Prakash Nishad on Thursday filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Uttar Pradesh and is set to win uncontested.

He was the lone candidate in the fray at the close of nomination on Thursday as no other party fielded a nominee.

The poll was necessitated following the demise of Samajwadi Party MP Beni Prasad Verma.

"Jai Prakash Nishad has filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha bypoll. He is the only candidate to file his nomination papers. Thursday was also the last date for filing nominations," Election Officer Brij Bhushan Dubey told PTI.

He said scrutiny of nomination papers will be done on August 14, while August 17 is the last date for withdrawal of candidature.

The polling was scheduled for August 24.

Nishad is a former Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) MLA who joined the BJP a few years ago.

According to the Rajya Sabha website, two of the 31 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh are vacant.

At present, there are 15 BJP Rajya Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh, followed by eight of the Samajwadi Party, four of the Bahujan Samaj Party and two from the Congress.