BJP nominates UP unit vice president Shiv Pratap Shukla for Rajya Sabha polls

LUCKNOW: BJP today nominated its Uttar Pradesh unit vice president and former state minister Shiv Pratap Shukla for the Rajya Sabha biennial elections to be held on June 11.

"Shukla will be the party's candidate for the Rajya Sabha, while Bhupendra Chaudhary and Daya Shanker Singh will be candidates for the Legislative Council," BJP state chief Keshav Prasad Maurya said here.

In the 403-member UP Assembly, BJP has 41 MLAs. While 37 votes are needed to win a Rajya Sabha seat, 32 votes are required to win a Council seat.

Tomorrow is the last date for filing of nominations.

To a question on how the party would ensure success of its second candidate in the Legislative Council, Maurya said, "Wait for the results. We are confident of victory."

Asserting that in the Assembly elections next year, BJP will be successful in making Uttar Pradesh free from SP and BSP, he said, "We will be successful in achieving the target of 265 plus seats and form the next government in UP."

To a query as to who would be the chief ministerial face of BJP in UP Assembly elections, Maurya said it would be decided by the the party's central parliamentary board.

A number of leaders and workers from different parties joined BJP at the press meet.