BJP names 8 candidates for UP Rajya Sabha polls; Hardeep Puri, Smriti Irani left out

The list, however, leaves out several names that had been doing the rounds, including Union Minister Hardeep Puri, Union Minister of State BL Verma and former Union Minister Smriti Irani.

The absence of Hardeep Puri, who was widely expected to be renominated from Uttar Pradesh, could also point to a possible reshuffle in the Union government.

BJP's eight candidates

The BJP's candidates are state minister Dharampal Singh, lawyer Radhakant Ojha, UP BJP OBC Morcha president Prakash Pal, former MP Vidyasagar Sonkar, Gopi Krishna Pandey, former MP Priyanka Singh Rawat, state general secretary Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan and Shruti Gangwar, daughter of Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar.

All eight candidates are scheduled to file their nominations in Lucknow at 11.30 am on Monday. Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath and state BJP chief Pankaj Chaudhary are expected to be present.

"Heartfelt congratulations to all the esteemed candidates announced today. Infinite best wishes for the historic victory of each one of you," Yogi Adityanath said in a post on X.

BJP's caste balancing act

With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections approaching, the BJP has sought to send a broad social message through its Rajya Sabha selections.

The list includes candidates from OBC, General and Scheduled Caste communities, with representation for influential groups including Brahmins, Rajputs and other OBC communities.

Dharampal Singh is from the Lodh community, while Radhakant Ojha and Gopi Krishna Pandey are Brahmins. Prakash Pal represents the OBC community, while Shruti Gangwar also comes from an OBC background.

Vidyasagar Sonkar and Priyanka Singh Rawat are from the Dalit community, while Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan represents the Thakur community.

The selection is being viewed as an effort to maintain the BJP's broader social coalition in the politically crucial state ahead of the Assembly elections.

Regional representation also in focus

The BJP has also attempted to distribute the nominations across different regions of Uttar Pradesh.

Dharampal Singh and Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan represent western Uttar Pradesh and the Braj region, while Shruti Gangwar comes from Rohilkhand.

Gopi Krishna Pandey and Vidyasagar Sonkar are from Purvanchal, Prakash Pal represents the Kanpur-Bundelkhand region, and Radhakant Ojha is from the Prayagraj region.

BJP eyes eighth seat

Ten Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh are up for election on October 16.

Based on its strength in the state Assembly, the BJP is assured of seven seats and is now seeking to push through an eighth candidate.

The Samajwadi Party, which has already announced two candidates, is expected to field a third, setting up the possibility of a contest for the final seat.

The BJP's eight candidates are otherwise expected to have a strong numerical advantage, while the victories of the two SP candidates — Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani — are also considered secure.

The final battle for the additional seat could therefore hinge on the arithmetic of the remaining votes and the ability of both sides to secure support beyond their core numbers.