SP fields Ram Gopal Yadav, Nathwani for UP Rajya Sabha polls on Oct 16
Synopsis
The SP has named Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani for UP's Rajya Sabha elections on 16 October — but the announcement came with immediate political heat. UP Minister O.P. Rajbhar publicly challenged Akhilesh Yadav to prove his 'PDA' social coalition pledge is more than rhetoric, setting the tone for a contest that doubles as a 2027 Assembly election rehearsal.
Key Takeaways
Samajwadi Party named Prof.
Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani as its Rajya Sabha candidates from Uttar Pradesh on 30 September .
Both will file nominations at 11 am in the presence of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav .
Polling for 10 UP Rajya Sabha seats is scheduled for 16 October , with counting the same day at 5 pm .
Rajbhar publicly challenged whether the SP's picks reflect its PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpasankhyak) social coalition pledge.
The last date for nominations is 6 October ; withdrawal deadline is 9 October .
The elections are seen as a political barometer ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls .
The Samajwadi Party (SP) on Wednesday, 30 September named Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani as its two candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh, with polling scheduled for 16 October. Both candidates are set to file their nomination papers in the presence of SP national president Akhilesh Yadav.
The Announcement and Nomination Filing
The party confirmed the candidatures via a post on X, stating that Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani would file their nominations at 11 am under the supervision of Akhilesh Yadav. Ram Gopal Yadav is a sitting Rajya Sabha member whose term is among those expiring, making his renomination a continuity move for the party.
Political Criticism From O.P. Rajbhar
Ahead of the SP's formal announcement, Uttar Pradesh Minister O.P. Rajbhar posted a pointed challenge on X, questioning whether the SP chief's candidate choices would reflect the party's 'PDA' slogan — which stands for Pichhda (backward classes), Dalit, and Alpasankhyak (minorities). Rajbhar said: 'Akhilesh ji, I've heard you're going to field three candidates for the Rajya Sabha. Tell me, will all three be from your PDA or not? The first one is Professor Sahab. He's from your PDA, P for family. Now, who will it be for D and A? Will there be some wealthy person for D? A criminal for A?' Rajbhar also advised the SP chief to 'not lose the second seat in the pursuit of three,' suggesting the party may be overreaching in its seat calculations given its current legislative strength in the state assembly.
Election Schedule and Stakes
The Election Commission of India (ECI) had on 22 September notified biennial elections for 11 Rajya Sabha seats — 10 from Uttar Pradesh and 1 from Uttarakhand — along with a by-election for one seat from West Bengal to fill a casual vacancy, all on 16 October. The notification was issued on 29 September, with the last date for nominations set as 6 October, scrutiny on 7 October, and the withdrawal deadline on 9 October. Polling will run from 9 am to 4 pm, with vote counting beginning at 5 pm on the same day.
Members Whose Terms Are Expiring
The 10 Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha seats falling vacant are held by Arun Singh, Geeta alias Chandraprabha, Brij Lal, Ram Gopal Yadav, Ramji Gautam, B.L. Verma, Seema Dwivedi, Dinesh Sharma, and Hardeep Singh Puri, among others. The contest is being closely watched as a political temperature check ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with parties keen to consolidate their upper house presence and signal social coalition strength.
Broader Political Context
The Rajya Sabha polls arrive at a charged moment for UP politics. The SP's 'PDA' framing has been its central electoral pitch since the 2024 general elections, where the party made significant gains in the state. Rajbhar's public questioning — before the names were even officially announced — reflects the fault lines within the broader opposition-adjacent space and the scrutiny the SP faces in translating its social coalition rhetoric into actual candidate selection. How the party fills its remaining potential candidatures, if any, will be watched carefully by both allies and rivals.
Point of View
Every Rajya Sabha seat from UP is as much about signalling as it is about legislative arithmetic, and the SP knows it cannot afford to look like it says one thing and does another.
NationPress
30 Sept 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Who has the Samajwadi Party named as its Rajya Sabha candidates from Uttar Pradesh?
The Samajwadi Party has named Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani as its two Rajya Sabha candidates from Uttar Pradesh. Both are scheduled to file their nominations in the presence of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav.
When is the Rajya Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh being held?
Polling for the 10 Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha seats is scheduled for 16 October, from 9 am to 4 pm, with vote counting beginning at 5 pm the same day. The last date for filing nominations is 6 October.
Why did UP Minister O.P. Rajbhar criticise Akhilesh Yadav over the Rajya Sabha candidates?
Rajbhar questioned whether the SP's candidate choices genuinely reflect its 'PDA' slogan — representing backward classes, Dalits, and minorities — or favour family connections and wealthy individuals instead. He posted the challenge on X before the SP had formally announced its nominees.
Which sitting Rajya Sabha members from UP are losing their seats?
The terms of 10 sitting members from Uttar Pradesh are expiring, including Arun Singh, Brij Lal, Ram Gopal Yadav, Dinesh Sharma, Hardeep Singh Puri, B.L. Verma, Seema Dwivedi, Ramji Gautam, and Geeta alias Chandraprabha, among others.
Why do these Rajya Sabha elections matter beyond the Upper House?
The October 16 elections are widely seen as a political rehearsal for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections. Parties are using candidate selection to signal the strength and sincerity of their social coalition strategies ahead of that larger contest.
