BSP wrests Rajya Sabha seat from Samajwadi Party in UP

BSP leader Naresh Agarwal has been elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from a seat in Uttar Pradesh held by Samajwadi Party.

Agarwal was declared elected by returning officer and special secretary to the Vidhan Sabha NK Sinha in the bypoll, Vidhan Sabha sources here said today.

The seat had fallen vacant following the death of SP leader Janeshwar Misra.

Agarwal's tenure will end on April 2, 2012, the date when Mishra was to have retired.

Agarwal, a former minister in the Mulayam Singh government, had joined BSP after it came to power in the state and had unsuccessfully contested the Lok Sabha elections from Farrukhabad.