New Delhi, Sept. 29 -- The BJP is considering several prominent names for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, with former Union minister Smriti Irani and former MP Varun Gandhi among those being discussed for a possible return to Parliament's Upper House. Ten Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh are set to go to polls on October 16. The nomination process is scheduled to begin on Tuesday, while the BJP is expected to finalise its candidates after discussions at the party's Central Election Committee meeting in the coming days.
Smriti Irani and BJP national general secretary Harish Dwivedi are among the names currently being considered for the party's candidates. Other names under discussion include Varun Gandhi, former Union minister Sanjeev Baliyan, former MP Satyapal Singh, Suresh Rana, Amit Malviya and Rajbir Singh. The BJP is also weighing candidates from different social groups, including Jats, Rajputs, OBCs and minorities. The selection is being considered in the context of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with the party looking at caste and regional representation as part of its broader electoral strategy. The terms of several sitting Rajya Sabha members are ending. Among the OBC leaders whose terms are concluding are Geeta Shakya and BL Verma. There is also discussion about re-electing Verma, who is currently a Union minister, as well as Shakya.
Other names being considered include Prakash Pal, who heads the BJP's OBC Morcha in Uttar Pradesh, and Rekha Verma. Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's Rajya Sabha term is also ending, and his continuation in the Upper House is being discussed in view of next year's Assembly elections in Punjab. The party is also considering replacing Dalit leader Brijlal with a younger representative. Sanjeev Baliyan and Satyapal Singh are being considered as possible Jat faces. The names were discussed at a BJP core committee meeting in Lucknow. The final list is expected to be decided at the Central Election Committee meeting likely to be held within the next three to four days. The BJP is expected to comfortably win seven of the 10 seats based on its current strength in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly. However, the party is also considering contesting an eighth seat, which could make the election more competitive and increase the possibility of cross-voting.
Uttar Pradesh has 403 Assembly seats, of which 396 are currently occupied. A candidate requires 37 first-preference votes to win a Rajya Sabha seat. The BJP has 255 MLAs on its own. Its allies include Apna Dal Sonelal with 13 MLAs, Rashtriya Lok Dal with nine, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party with six and Nishad Party with five. After securing seven seats, the BJP and its allies are expected to have 33 surplus votes, leaving them four votes short of the 37 required for an eighth seat. The BJP could bridge that gap with support from two unaffiliated MLAs of the Jansatta Dal Loktantrik Party, according to the numbers being considered. The Samajwadi Party, meanwhile, has 101 MLAs, while two Congress MLAs are aligned with it, taking its effective strength to 103. The party can comfortably win two seats but would require eight additional votes to secure a third seat. The SP is reportedly considering fielding three candidates, with senior leader Ram Gopal Yadav among the names being discussed. Former IAS officer Alok Ranjan and Salim Iqbal are also being considered.
With the BJP and SP potentially competing for the final available seat, cross-voting could become a key factor. Unlike Assembly elections, there is no party whip in Rajya Sabha elections, meaning an MLA voting against their party's preferred candidate does not automatically lose their membership. The BJP is also seeking to retain its support among Brahmins while working to regain non-Yadav OBC voters, particularly Kurmis, and non-Jatav Scheduled Caste voters. The party is additionally looking at greater representation for women and younger leaders as it prepares for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly polls.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.