Lucknow, Jan 18 (IANS): All ten BJP candidates for the biennial elections to the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Council on Monday filed their nomination papers.

Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath was present when the candidates filed their nomination papers.

Among the candidates are state BJP chief Swatantra Dev Singh, Deputy Chief Minister Dinesh Sharma, former bureaucrat Arvind Sharma, Laxman Prasad Acharya, Salil Bishnoi, Govind Shukla, Kunwar Manvendra Singh, Ashwini Tyagi, Dharamvir Prajapati and Surendra Chaudhary.

Earlier, all the candidates reached the BJP's state headquarters where they were given a warm welcome by party workers to the beating of 'dhols'. The candidates offered prayers at a temple and then went together to the Vidhan Bhawan, located across the road, to file the nomination papers.

Elections are being held for 12 seats in the Vidhan Parishad.

The BJP has put up 10 candidates and the Samajwadi Party has fielded two candidates.

Elections are likely to be held unopposed unless a 13th candidate enters the fray.