Following the two Rajya Sabha vacancies, Bahujan Samaj Party leaders Ganga Charan Rajpoot and Sri Ram Pal filed their nomination papers on Wednesday for the by-election. Today was the last day for filing the papers.

Since the BSP is assured of victory in both seats, no other candidate has filed their nominations.

Therefore, both will be declared elected after the deadline for withdrawal of nominations is over on Saturday.

The vacancies were caused by the election of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Murli Manohar Joshi to the Lok Sabha from Varanasi and the resignation of Samajwadi Party leader Banwari Lal Kanchchal after he joined the BSP just before the Lok Sabha polls.

It is unclear why BSP president Mayawati did not give a ticket to Kanchchal, who was one of the aspirants. Rajpoot is a known turncoat in the state politics. He joined the BSP just before the Lok Sabha elections and lost from Pilibhit.

Pal was associated with the BSP during Kanshi Ram’s time. He later joined the Samajwadi Party but came back to the BSP fold a few months ago.

Both come from the Bundelkhand region.

Rajpoot belongs to the Lodh community, while Sri Ram Pal belongs to the Pal community.

Their election could be seen as part of Mayawati’s efforts to win over the non-Yadav OBCs and the backwards after the BSP’s unimpressive show in the Lok Sabha elections.