Samajwadi Party drops plan to field third candidate in UP Rajya Sabha polls, BJP to win 8 of the 10 seats
The 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh are now likely to be filled unopposed, with the BJP getting eight seats and the SP retaining the remaining two.
The Samajwadi Party has decided against fielding a third candidate in the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, clearing the way for the BJP to win eight of the 10 seats without a contest.
Proceedings of the Rajya Sabha get adjourned during the Monsoon Session of the Parliament. (Sansad TV)
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The decision was taken on Tuesday morning, a day before the deadline for filing nominations, people familiar with the matter said. The SP had been considering fielding a third candidate after the BJP announced eight nominees on Monday.
The move means the 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh are likely to be filled unopposed, with the BJP getting eight seats and the SP retaining the remaining two.
Deep Dive
Why did the Samajwadi Party choose not to field a third candidate in the UP Rajya Sabha elections?
The Samajwadi Party decided against fielding a third candidate to clear the way for the BJP to win eight out of the ten Rajya Sabha seats unopposed, indicating a strategic move ahead of the elections.
What demographic groups are represented among the BJP's eight nominees for the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha elections?
The BJP's nominees include three from the OBC category, two Dalits, two Brahmins, and one Rajput, alongside two women, showcasing a focus on caste and regional balance.
How does the BJP plan to use its Rajya Sabha candidates to prepare for the 2027 UP assembly elections?
The BJP's nomination strategy focuses on building a broad coalition by including candidates who represent OBC, Dalit, and upper-caste communities, aiming to consolidate support and improve booth-level morale ahead of the 2027 elections.
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The SP had already nominated party veteran Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani. Both candidates are expected to win comfortably based on the party's numbers in the state assembly.
The decision to not enter a third candidate was driven largely by the numbers game and concerns over cross-voting. The Rajya Sabha election uses an open ballot system, meaning legislators' voting choices are visible to their party's authorised representatives.
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With the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections due next year, some MLAs in the BJP-led NDA were understood to be uncomfortable with the prospect of openly voting against their party's candidate just months before the 2027 polls.
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With the Uttar Pradesh assembly elections due next year, some MLAs in the BJP-led NDA were understood to be uncomfortable with the prospect of openly voting against their party's candidate just months before the 2027 polls.
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The possibility of cross-voting had been central to the Rajya Sabha calculations. A candidate requires 37 first-preference votes, while the SP-led bloc had enough votes to comfortably elect two candidates but would have needed support from outside its camp for a third.
The BJP, meanwhile, had the numbers to secure seven seats comfortably and was looking for additional votes to win an eighth seat. HT reported on October 5 that both sides were closely watching each other's moves because of the possibility of cross-voting.
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Home/India News/Samajwadi Party drops plan to field third candidate in UP Rajya Sabha polls, BJP to win 8 of the 10 seats
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