New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on November 6 officially announced former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Rajnath Singh and former Central minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi as its candidates for the forthcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections.

The party is fielding Jharkhand Minister Pradeep Yadav for the Lok Sabha byelection from 3 Godda, which fell vacant following the resignation of Babulal Marandi, who was appointed Chief Minister of the newly-formed state.

Marandi who had represented 3 Godda was a Union Minister before being shifted to the state as Chief Minister.

Asked whether the party would be fielding any more candidates from Uttar Pradesh for the Rajya Sabha specially former BJP spokesman Sunil Shastri whose term expires this month, party spokesman Arun Jaitley said, "Whatever further announcements are to be made by the Central party would be decided after consulting state unit."

He said that one byelection to the Rajya Sabha following the resignation of T N Chaturvedi who has been appointed Governor of Karnataka would be decided later.

Shastri is likely to get the nomination for this vacancy and a year and a quarter is left for the term.

PTI