New Delhi: Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and his two deputies, Keshav Prasad Maurya and Dinesh Sharma, will contest the upcoming state Legislative Council by-polls.

Besides Adityanath and his two deputies, two ministers - Swatantra Dev Singh and Mohsin Raza are also expected to file nominations close to the last date. The victory of all five BJP nominees appears a foregone conclusion given the party’s overwhelming majority in the 403 -member assembly.

Hours after the saffron party announced its candidates, SP chief AkhileshYadav took a potshot saying that had there been strength in the BJP, its leaders would have fought direct elections to enter the state legislature and not taken the Council route.

"But it (BJP) has taken Samajwadi Party MLCs in its fold to pave their way for entering the Upper House," he claimed. A number of MLCs from opposition parties in the state, who resigned recently, have given statements in favour of the Adityanath government.

Adityanath and his ministerial colleagues need to get elected to one of the houses, Assembly or Council, within six months of assuming office to continue in their posts. This six month deadline expires on September 19.

Adityanath and Maurya are Lok Sabha members and are likely to resign once they win the Council by-polls. The last date for filing nominations for four seats is September 5 and the scrutiny will be done the next day.The last date for the withdrawal of candidature is September 8.

Polling will be held on September 15 and counting of votes will be done the same day. The EC will issue a notification on August 31 for the by-poll to the fifth seat.