The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Saturday nominated Union Ministers Sarbananda Sonowal and L Murugan as its candidates for the Rajya Sabha by-elections in Assam and Madhya Pradesh respectively, according to a party statement.

Both Sonowal and Murugan were inducted into the Union Council of Ministers by Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently.

Bypolls will be held for one seat each in Assam, Madhya Pradesh, West Bengal and Maharashtra and two in Tamil Nadu on October 4.

In Assam, a Rajya Sabha seat vacancy emerged after Biswajit Daimary resigned following his appointment as the Assam Legislative Assembly Speaker. 

In Madhya Pradesh, the seat fell vacant after Thaawarchand Gehlot's resignation following his appointment as the governor of Karnataka.