Uttar Pradesh elections: Samajwadi Party's surprise Nathwani choice puts spotlight on BJP's Rajya Sabha picks

New Delhi: The filing of Rajya Sabha nominations by Samajwadi Party general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and surprise candidate Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani on Wednesday, in the presence of party chief Akhilesh Yadav, has shifted the focus to the BJP's choices for the Upper House from Uttar Pradesh, as the party seeks to balance electoral, caste and regional equations ahead of the 2027 Assembly polls.

Elections to 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh will be held on October 16. With the current Assembly arithmetic, 37 MLAs are required to elect one candidate. The BJP-led alliance is in a position to win eight seats, while the SP can comfortably secure the remaining two.

The BJP's selection assumes significance as it has to fill eight berths, including those of outgoing Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and BL Verma. The party is considering a mix of fresh faces and those seeking another term, with the probable list reflecting caste and regional representation from across UP.


The party's probable list also includes two national general secretaries and a former Union minister, all three of whom lost the 2024 Lok Sabha election from Uttar Pradesh. Their possible return to Parliament through the Rajya Sabha comes amid a wider BJP exercise to accommodate organisational leaders and electoral considerations.

For the SP, Ram Gopal's nomination was largely expected. A founding member of the party, he has been in the RS since 2004 and stood by Akhilesh during the family feud with his uncle Shivpal Yadav.

Nathwani, however, is the surprise pick. A senior Reliance Group executive, he is also associated with cricket and temple administration in Gujarat.

His nomination adds a corporate face to the SP's Rajya Sabha contingent, a party leader said, adding that earlier Anil Ambani has represented SP in the Upper House.

His candidature also carries a distinct cross-party dimension. His father, Parimal Nathwani, now in his fourth Rajya Sabha term from Jharkhand as an Independent backed by BJP and got elected by cross voting from JMM-led ruling coalition.

The father-son political journeys across different sides of the political spectrum make the SP's choice particularly notable as the BJP finalises its own slate for the crucial Upper House contest.