India, Sept. 27 -- Smriti Irani and Varun Gandhi are in contention for Rajya Sabha berths.

The upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh next month have become intriguing. The BJP might field its firebrand leader Smriti Irani and former MP Varun Gandhi. The Samajwadi Party (SP) could also make the contest more interesting by fielding a candidate for the eighth seat. Elections for 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh are scheduled for October 16.

Of these, seven seats are certain for the BJP and two for the Samajwadi Party. A contest is likely for the remaining seat. Although the BJP would face no difficulty in winning the eighth seat, the SP might field a candidate to gauge the situation. The SP's strategy behind this is to poten...