BJP's 8 and SP's 2 candidates elected unopposed to all 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh

The picture for the election to 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh became clear on Friday, October 9. Eight Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidates and two Samajwadi Party (SP) candidates were declared elected unopposed.

The nomination papers of two independent candidates had been rejected during scrutiny. No other candidate remained in the fray by the time the deadline for withdrawal of nominations ended, so all ten seats went uncontested. The voting scheduled for October 16 was therefore not required. The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) also no longer has representation in the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh.

The eight BJP candidates elected are Uttar Pradesh government minister Dharmpal Singh, BJP OBC Morcha state president Prakash Pal, Shruti Gangwar, Vidyasagar Sonkar, Priyanka Singh Rawat, Radhakant Ojha, Gopi Krishna Pandey and Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan. With their unopposed election, the BJP's strength among Uttar Pradesh's Rajya Sabha seats remains what it was.

From the Samajwadi Party, senior leader and national general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav and industrialist Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani were elected unopposed. Ram Gopal Yadav has reached the Rajya Sabha once again, while Nathwani will enter it for the first time. It is being said that with the two seats, the SP's strength in the Rajya Sabha will rise to five.

Returning officer Ajit Kumar Verma completed the formal process of the unopposed election on Friday, and certificates were handed to the newly elected members. Most of the BJP candidates were present in person at the proceedings, held on the Vidhan Sabha premises, and collected their certificates. Radhakant Ojha's certificate was received by his representatives, while former Legislative Council member Rakesh Yadav received the certificate on behalf of Ram Gopal Yadav.

After his election, Prakash Pal said he had been discharging various responsibilities in the party for the past 36 years. He said he had now been given the responsibility of raising issues concerning the people of Uttar Pradesh and the country in the Rajya Sabha. He also claimed that in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly election the BJP would win 80 per cent of the seats and the opposition alliance would get 20 per cent.

Newly elected BJP member Priyanka Singh Rawat also thanked the party leadership. She said the BJP had given a big responsibility to an ordinary worker, and that workers who work tirelessly for the party get the opportunity to reach high positions. She expressed confidence that the BJP would form a government with a full majority in Uttar Pradesh after the 2027 Assembly election.

Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani, elected from the SP, thanked party president Akhilesh Yadav on the social media platform X. He said Akhilesh Yadav had placed his trust in him. According to Nathwani, he will try to carry forward the party's vision for Uttar Pradesh's all-round development, modern infrastructure and a bright future for the youth in Parliament.

Of these ten seats, eight were earlier held by the BJP, one by the Samajwadi Party and one by the Bahujan Samaj Party. This time the BJP got eight seats and the SP two, so the BSP got none. The term of the current members ends on November 25, after which the new members' terms will begin. The BJP has retained its eight seats, while the SP has gained one seat.