New Delhi: The BJP has geared up for the Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, the country’s largest state. In a significant move, the party has announced the names of its candidates for eight seats, giving preference to some new faces. Tuesday marks the last day for filing nominations for the ten seats up for election. The list, released by BJP National Headquarters In-charge and Rajya Sabha MP Tarun Chugh, includes new faces.
The party shared these details via its social media accounts. The Samajwadi Party (SP) has also announced the names of two candidates; all eyes are now on whether the SP will field a third candidate. If the SP does field a third candidate, the BJP might have to work hard to ensure the victory of its eighth candidate.
Who are the BJP’s eight candidates?
The BJP has announced the names of eight candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. They are Dharmpal Singh, Radhakant Ojha, Prakash Pal, Vidyasagar Sonkar, Gopi Krishna Pandey, Priyanka Singh Rawat, Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan, and Shruti Gangwar.
Fielding two Dalit candidates
The Rajya Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh is considered crucial for the BJP, given that the state assembly elections are scheduled to take place in a few months. Consequently, the BJP aims to balance social and caste equations. This is why extensive deliberations took place at various levels before the candidates’ names were announced.
The BJP’s list includes three OBC candidates, two SC candidates, and three candidates from the general category. Two women are among the eight candidates. By allocating one ticket each to the Lodhi, Pal, and Kurmi communities within the OBC category, the party has also attempted to counter Akhilesh Yadav’s ‘PDA’ slogan. The party has also given a ticket to Dharmpal Singh Lodhi, a cabinet minister in the Yogi government.
Hardeep Puri Misses Out
The Bharatiya Janata Party has given opportunities to several new faces in this list. Before the list of names was released, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was considered a frontrunner among the probable candidates; however, he was not included. Apart from him, the name of international poet Kumar Vishwas was also circulating on social media, but he too was not given preference. Figures such as Smriti Irani, Harish Dwivedi, and Shaktikanta Das have also not been nominated as candidates for the Rajya Sabha. Voting for Rajya Sabha candidates in Uttar Pradesh will now take place on October 16, 2026, and all eyes are fixed on it.
