Eight BJP candidates filed their nominations for the Rajya Sabha election from Uttar Pradesh on Tuesday, in the presence of Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and senior leaders. The BJP slate includes three OBC leaders—UP minister Dharampal Singh (Lodh), OBC wing chief Prakash Pal, and Shruti Gangwar (Kurmi)—two Dalit representatives, Vidya Sagar Sonkar and Priyanka Rawat, and three Brahmin candidates—Radhakant Ojha, Gopi Krishna Pandey, and Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan (Thakur).
Each candidate submitted two sets of nomination papers, each backed by signatures of ten lawmakers, according to poll officer Ajit Verma. Two Samajwadi Party candidates, veteran Ram Gopal Yadav and Reliance Industries executive Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani, have also filed their nominations. Speculation that the Samajwadi Party might field a third candidate to force a contest was dismissed by chief Akhilesh Yadav, who posted on X that the party’s focus is on the 403 seats in the state legislature rather than a single Rajya Sabha seat.
Deputy Chief Minister Brajesh Pathak said the Samajwadi Party has conceded defeat for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh polls. Tuesday is the final day for filing nominations for the ten Rajya Sabha seats, and barring any last‑minute changes, all ten candidates are expected to be elected unopposed. The BJP’s eight picks include two women and a mix of caste and regional representation, finalized ahead of the 2027 elections.
Earlier, all BJP candidates gathered at the party office opposite the Vidhan Sabha, met senior leaders—including BJP’s Uttar Pradesh in‑charge Vinod Tawde—and filed their nominations amid drum beats and a celebratory atmosphere. OBC chief Prakash Pal remarked that the BJP’s candidate selection shows the party’s respect for proportional representation, contrasting it with the Samajwadi Party’s narrative.
