RS polls from UP: BJP fields 8 candidates, SP 2; all set to sail through
UP Rajya Sabha contest set for an uncontested outcome as BJP nominates eight and SP two
Bharatmorning.com – Uttar Pradesh’s election for 10 Rajya Sabha seats appears headed for an unopposed result after the Bharatiya Janata Party submitted nominations for eight candidates and the Samajwadi Party put forward two. The final day for filing papers saw a prominent BJP mobilisation in Lucknow, while the SP decided against entering a third nominee in the race.
With the current balance of strength in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance is positioned to claim eight seats. The SP, supported by Congress legislators, has the required numbers for two seats. Unless nominations are withdrawn or complications emerge during scrutiny, all 10 candidates are expected to be elected without polling.
BJP candidates submit papers in Lucknow
The BJP nominees who filed their papers at the Vidhan Bhawan were Dharampal Singh, Radhakant Ojha, Prakash Pal, Vidyasagar Sonkar, Gopi Krishna Pandey, Priyanka Singh Rawat, Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan and Shruti Gangwar.
Chief minister Yogi Adityanath accompanied the candidates during the nomination process, along with deputy chief ministers Keshav Prasad Maurya and Brajesh Pathak and Uttar Pradesh BJP president Pankaj Chaudhary. The party used the occasion to project organisational unity and electoral confidence before the 2027 Assembly elections.
Earlier in the day, the nominees gathered at the BJP’s state headquarters, where party workers and supporters welcomed them with slogans, flower garlands and traditional dhol performances. A large number of vehicles and supporters gathered near the office, leading to congestion along Vidhan Sabha Marg for several hours.
The display turned what is generally a procedural election step into a visible political event. BJP leaders used the gathering to underline the party’s ability to mobilise its workers and supporters in the state capital.
SP steps back from a possible third candidate
The Samajwadi Party had explored the possibility of nominating a third candidate and had prepared for that option. It ultimately withdrew from the idea on Tuesday after reviewing the arithmetic in the Assembly and the prospect of cross-voting.
Rajya Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh are elected through a single transferable vote method. Given the Assembly’s current effective strength, a candidate needs 37 first-preference votes to secure election. The numbers give the BJP-led alliance enough support for eight candidates, while the SP-Congress grouping can elect two.
A third SP nominee would therefore have needed support beyond its own alliance. That possibility depended heavily on votes from legislators outside the SP-Congress camp, making cross-voting a central consideration.
The open-ballot procedure in Rajya Sabha elections also carries political consequences. Since party representatives can see how legislators vote, backing a rival candidate can become immediately visible. With the next Uttar Pradesh Assembly election approaching, the SP chose not to turn the Upper House election into a direct contest over uncertain additional votes.
SP president Akhilesh Yadav indicated that the party’s attention was shifting toward the larger Assembly battle. In a post on X, he wrote:
“Now our eyes are not on three but on 403 seats,”
The reference was to all 403 seats in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, signalling that the party intends to concentrate on its statewide electoral campaign rather than pursue an additional Rajya Sabha seat.
BJP leaders frame nominations as a political message
Keshav Prasad Maurya said the BJP’s eight candidates would succeed regardless of whether the SP had fielded a third nominee. He also described the party’s selection as a “Triveni” bringing together forward communities, backward communities and Scheduled Castes.
Maurya responded sharply to Akhilesh Yadav’s reference to the 403 Assembly seats, recalling the SP leader’s earlier electoral target in 2022.
“The writing on the wall is clear. The SP has conceded defeat for 2027 polls.”
Brajesh Pathak made the remark while discussing the SP’s decision to field only two candidates. The BJP presented the development as evidence that the opposition had accepted the limits imposed by the Assembly’s present composition.
The BJP nominees, speaking separately to media representatives, thanked the party leadership for giving them the opportunity and said they would work to strengthen the organisation.
What happens next
The deadline for filing nomination papers ended at 3 pm on Tuesday. Election officials will examine the papers on October 7, and candidates may withdraw their nominations until October 9.
Voting is scheduled for October 16 if it becomes necessary. If all nominations are found valid and no additional candidate remains in the fray after the withdrawal deadline, the 10 candidates can be declared elected unopposed.
The outcome would reflect the Assembly’s existing numerical alignment rather than a fresh statewide public vote. Even so, the nomination day carried wider significance because both major parties used it to signal their priorities ahead of 2027. For the BJP, the emphasis was on organisational reach and representation across social groups. For the SP, the decision to stop at two candidates highlighted a strategy of preserving political resources for the next Assembly election.
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