BJP Announces 8 Rajya Sabha Candidates in UP, Drops Hardeep Puri and 7 Sitting MPs
The BJP has announced its eight candidates for the October 16 Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, opting for a completely fresh lineup and leaving out all eight of its outgoing Rajya Sabha members from the state. Union ministers Hardeep Singh Puri and BL Verma are among the prominent names not renominated.
The BJP’s list includes two women candidates — former Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Singh Rawat and Shruti Gangwar, daughter of former Union minister and Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar. The remaining nominees are Dharampal Singh, Radhakant Ojha, Prakash Pal, Vidyasagar Sonkar, Gopi Krishna Pandey and Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan.
BJP’s 8 Rajya Sabha Candidates in Uttar Pradesh
The party has fielded:
- Dharampal Singh
- Radhakant Ojha
- Prakash Pal
- Vidyasagar Sonkar
- Gopi Krishna Pandey
- Priyanka Singh Rawat
- Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan
- Shruti Gangwar
The names were approved by the BJP Central Election Committee and formally announced on October 5. The nomination deadline is October 6, while voting for the Rajya Sabha seats is scheduled for October 16.
Hardeep Puri Dropped From the List
The biggest surprise in the BJP’s announcement is the absence of Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, whose Rajya Sabha term from Uttar Pradesh is coming to an end.
Puri had been among the prominent names expected to be considered for renomination. His exclusion, along with the decision to drop the other outgoing BJP MPs, has triggered speculation about possible changes in the Union Council of Ministers. However, his omission from the Rajya Sabha list by itself does not confirm a Cabinet reshuffle.
Union Minister of State BL Verma has also not been renominated. Reports indicate that the BJP has effectively replaced all eight of its outgoing Rajya Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh with new faces.
Two Women Get Rajya Sabha Tickets
The BJP has given representation to two women in the eight-member list.
Priyanka Singh Rawat, a former Lok Sabha MP from Barabanki, has been named as one of the candidates. Shruti Gangwar, a prominent Uttar Pradesh BJP leader and daughter of Santosh Gangwar, is the other woman candidate.
The list also reflects an attempt to balance different social and regional groups in Uttar Pradesh. Reports indicate that the eight candidates include three OBC, two Scheduled Caste and three general-category candidates.
10 Rajya Sabha Seats at Stake in UP
The Rajya Sabha election is particularly important because 10 seats from Uttar Pradesh are falling vacant. Of these, eight are currently held by the BJP, while the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party hold one seat each.
The Election Commission has scheduled polling for October 16, with the election coming just months before the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections expected early next year.
What the Numbers Say
The Uttar Pradesh Assembly currently has 396 members in the 403-member House, following seven deaths over the past 11 months. As a result, each Rajya Sabha candidate needs 37 first-preference votes to win a seat.
The BJP has 255 MLAs, while its NDA allies add another 33, taking the alliance’s core strength to 288. The BJP can comfortably secure seven seats based on its numbers, while the contest for an eighth seat depends on additional support and cross-voting calculations.
The BJP’s numbers, therefore, make the October 16 contest particularly significant. The Samajwadi Party is also expected to secure seats based on its legislative strength, making the remaining votes crucial to the final outcome.
Fresh Faces Signal a Strategic Shift
The decision to replace all eight outgoing BJP Rajya Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh represents a significant organisational move.
Instead of relying on several sitting MPs and senior national-level faces, the party has chosen a slate that gives greater space to state-level leaders, organisational figures and regional representation. Dharampal Singh, for example, is a senior Uttar Pradesh BJP leader and state minister, while other nominees have strong organisational or regional connections.
With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly election approaching, the candidate selection is being closely watched for its political and organisational implications.
Rajya Sabha Contest to Be Closely Watched
The BJP’s announcement has changed the political conversation around the upcoming Rajya Sabha election. The absence of Hardeep Puri and seven other sitting BJP MPs has made the list more significant than a routine biennial nomination exercise.
The October 16 election will determine the next occupants of 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh. With the BJP aiming to retain its strong position and the SP looking to maximise its numbers, the final voting arithmetic could make the contest closely watched ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.
