BJP candidates for bypolls to two UP MLC seats file nomination

Lucknow: The BJP's Padamsen Choudhary and Manvender Singh filed their nominations for the by-election to two Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council seats on Thursday, the last date to file the papers.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, Deputy Chief Ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak were among those present on the occasion.

The two seats had fallen vacant following the resignation of Laxman Acharya after he was appointed the Sikkim governor and the death of BJP member Banwari Lal Dohre. While Acharya's tenure was till January 2027, Dohre's term was to expire in July 2028.

The notification for the bypoll was issued on May 11 and Thursday was announced as the last day to file nominations, a senior official said.

The nomination papers will be scrutinised on Friday. The last date to withdraw nominations is May 22.

The polling, if required, will be held on May 29 and the results declared on the same day, the official said.

The BJP on Wednesday announced Choudhary and Singh as its candidates for the bypoll to the 100-member Upper House, where the party enjoys a comfortable majority.

Singh has served two terms as an MLC and also held the post of president of the party's Kanpur-Bundelkhand unit, Bahraich native Choudhary is has been a Lok Sabha MP.

The BJP has 255 MLAs in the 403-member assembly while its allies Apna Dal (Sonelal) has 13 legislators and the NISHAD Party six. The Samajwadi Party has 109 MLAs while its ally Rashtriya Lok Dal has nine.

The Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party has six MLAs, and the Congress and the Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik) have two each. The Bahujan Samaj Party has one member in the assembly. Members of the Lower House will also vote in the by-election.