The BJP named Union minister of state L Murugan, as its candidate for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat vacated by Thawarchand Gehlot.
Murugan headed BJP's Tamil Nadu unit till July.
He was then inducted into the Union cabinet by Prime Minister Narendra Modi as MoS information and broadcasting, and fisheries, animal husbandry and dairying.
This necessitated his election to Parliament in six months.
Madhya Pradesh's Rajya Sabha vacancy emerged after Gehlot was appointed the Karnataka Governor.