SP Picks Dhanraj Nathwani, Ram Gopal For Rajya Sabha

Both filed their nomination papers on Wednesday in the presence of SP president Akhilesh Yadav, senior leader Shivpal Yadav and party MLAs.

Dhanraj’s nomination comes months after the NDA helped his father secure a fourth Rajya Sabha term from Jharkhand in June, taking the family’s parliamentary journey across states and rival political camps.

Elections to 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh will be held on October 16, ahead of the Assembly elections due next year. Based on the current Assembly strength, the BJP-led alliance is expected to win eight seats, while the SP, with Congress support, can secure two.

“I extend my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to the Honorable National President, Shri Akhilesh Yadav ji, for nominating me as the Samajwadi Party candidate for the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. Today, in the presence of Honorable Akhilesh Yadav ji in Lucknow, I filed my nomination for the Rajya Sabha, marking a new phase in my public life,” Dhanraj posted on X.

Dhanraj, who is close to the Ambani family, holds responsibilities across several Reliance businesses. He oversees its Jamnagar manufacturing divisions, exercises strategic oversight of Jio’s business in Gujarat, leads the engineering, procurement and construction vertical, and oversees Reliance Jio Defence System Limited.

His nomination comes days after the BJP and Congress exchanged barbs over the absence of Ambani’s photograph from a presentation at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s press conference on the Election Commission.

At the “Chhatron Ki Goonj” programme in Indore on September 19, Mr Gandhi named Ambani among six people he alleged were running the country’s “system”. The others were Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Union home minister Amit Shah, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat and industrialist Gautam Adani.

At his September 24 press conference in Delhi, the photographs displayed as alleged “conspirators” included Chief Election Commissioner Gyanesh Kumar alongside Mr Modi, Mr Shah, Mr Bhagwat, Mr Doval and Mr Adani. Ambani’s photograph was absent.

“What transpired between Indore & Delhi for omissions & additions ….!!!??? Can some genius minds shed light …??” BJP national general secretary (organisation) B.L. Santhosh posted on X on September 25.

Congress leader Pawan Khera responded: “Why are you upset? You figure in both - of course as a pawn!”

The SP has again fielded Mr Ram Gopal Yadav, a cousin of its late founder Mulayam Singh Yadav, popularly known as “professor sahab”.

He entered the Rajya Sabha in 1992 and served two consecutive terms until 2004. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Sambhal in 2004 and remained a member until 2008.

He returned to the Rajya Sabha in 2008 and was re-elected in 2014 and 2020. His latest nomination puts him on course for a sixth term in the Upper House.

Asked about being the party’s first-choice candidate, Mr Yadav told reporters: “I am number one for the past 34 years. And now will be there (Rajya Sabha) again for six years.”

Despite having the numbers to secure two seats, the SP plans to field a third candidate.

“We will declare a third candidate also,” party spokesperson Rajendra Chowdhury said.

Asked how the party would secure a third seat, Mr Chowdhury claimed that several BJP MLAs were dissatisfied with the government and would support SP candidates.