India, Sept. 22 -- The Election Commission on Tuesday announced elections to 12 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal on October 16, setting the stage for a keen contest in Uttar Pradesh, where the BJP is expected to retain eight of the 10 seats and the Samajwadi Party is likely to gain one.

The BJP's overall strength in the Rajya Sabha is likely to increase by one, with the party set to bag the lone seat in West Bengal. The seat fell vacant after the resignation of actor Rukmini Mallick, popularly known as Koel, whom the Trinamool Congress sent to the House before being dislodged from power in the assembly polls held earlier this year.

In Uttar Pradesh, based on the present strength of parties in the assembl...