Lucknow, Sept. 30 -- Political sparring intensified in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the Rajya Sabha elections as the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday hinted at its plans to field a third candidate, with party leaders claiming that more "surprises" were in store, while Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya said the BJP would deliver the surprise and claimed that "25 SP MLAs were in touch with the party".

The SP formally entered the Rajya Sabha contest from Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday as its nominees Professor Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani filed their nomination papers in Lucknow in the presence of party chief Akhilesh Yadav.

The party had earlier announced Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani as its two can...