Bharatiya Janata Party general secretary and Rajya Sabha member Vinay Katiyar is likely to be fielded against Congress president Sonia Gandhi [Images] in the by-election to the Rae Bareli Lok Sabha seat.

The decision to field the former Bajrang Dal chief was taken at a meeting BJP president Rajnath Singh had with senior party leaders from Uttar Pradesh, including state unit chief Kesari Nath Tripathi and party national vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi in Varanasi on Tuesday, party sources said.

Katiyar, who was initially reluctant to contest, was persuaded, as the party wanted a senior backward class leader to minimise the impact of expelled leader Uma Bharti.  Bharti is supporting a backward candidate belonging to Apna Dal in the prestigious constituency.

A formal announcement in this regard is expected to be made later.