The Samajwadi Party has finalised two candidates for the Rajya Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh, naming senior leader Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani as its authorised nominees. Both candidates are scheduled to file their nomination papers on Wednesday, September 30, in the presence of SP president Akhilesh Yadav.
Samajwadi Party national general secretary and senior leader Ram Gopal Yadav has been named as the party’s first candidate. He has represented the SP in the Rajya Sabha for a long period.
SP legislators signed his nomination papers as proposers after a meeting at the party office on Tuesday. Ram Gopal Yadav is scheduled to file his nomination papers on Wednesday in the presence of Akhilesh Yadav.
The SP has named Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani as its second candidate. Nathwani has been associated with the business sector and has also been associated with Reliance Industries.
Samajwadi Party names Prof. Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani as candidates for the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha election 2026, with nominations scheduled for September 30.
His candidature is part of the SP’s Rajya Sabha candidate list. With the names of the two candidates announced, attention is now focused on the nomination process. Other senior SP leaders and legislators are also expected to be present with Akhilesh Yadav during the nomination process.
Discussion is also continuing over the SP’s third candidate. The party had earlier indicated preparations to field three candidates from Uttar Pradesh, although the third name is expected to be announced at a separate stage.
The announcement of the third candidate is expected to provide further clarity on the SP’s Rajya Sabha election strategy. For now, Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Nathwani are the two candidates announced by the party.
Elections will be held for 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh. The Election Commission announced the election schedule on September 22. The nomination process began on September 29, and voting, if required, will take place on October 16, 2026.
Elected legislators vote in Rajya Sabha elections, which are conducted through proportional representation by means of the single transferable vote.
Under the current arrangement, the Bharatiya Janata Party holds eight of the 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh, while the Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party hold one seat each. The terms of several sitting members, including Ram Gopal Yadav, are set to end in November. The terms of the current members will end on November 25.
