New Delhi, June 8 (IANS) The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has released its official list of candidates for the upcoming biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka, as well as the Karnataka Legislative Council, party sources said.

The announcement was made through a press release issued late Sunday evening by the party's central office in New Delhi.

For the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections, the BJP has nominated Mahesh Kewat from Madhya Pradesh and M. Nagaraja from Karnataka.

Both names were approved by the party's Central Election Committee.

In addition to the Rajya Sabha nominations, the BJP also declared its candidates for the Karnataka Legislative Council biennial elections.

Lingaraj Patil and Raghu Kautilya have been chosen to contest from Karnataka.

The party emphasised that these selections are part of its broader strategy to strengthen its organisational presence and legislative influence in the state.

The announcement comes at a crucial time as the BJP seeks to consolidate its position further in both Madhya Pradesh and Karnataka.

The Rajya Sabha nominations highlight the party's focus on balancing regional representation with national priorities, while the Legislative Council candidates underscore its commitment to nurturing leadership at the state level.

Arun Singh, BJP National General Secretary and Headquarters in-charge announced the names through the press statement.

With these nominations, the BJP has set the stage for a competitive electoral contest, aiming to reinforce its legislative strength and policy agenda, particularly in Madhya Pradesh where the BJP had already fielded two candidates -- Tarun Chugh and Rajneesh Agrawal while Congress has already fielded its candidate Meenakshi Natarajan.

There were speculations that BJP is planning to field another candidate.

Monday is the last day for filing nomination papers.

The elections for Rajya Sabha will take place on June 18.

While Madhya Pradesh continues to be a stronghold for the BJP, Karnataka remains a key battleground where the party is keen to expand its influence.

The selection of candidates reflects a mix of experience, academic credentials, and organisational loyalty, aligning with the BJP's broader narrative of leadership development and governance.

--IANS

sktr/khz