BJP Announces Eight Nominees For Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha Elections While Dropping Hardeep Puri

The Indian Express•Published: Oct 5, 2026 03:31 PM IST•Covered by 2 sources

The Bharatiya Janata Party has announced its eight candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, introducing several new faces while omitting Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The candidate list includes two women, former Lok Sabha MP Priyanka Singh Rawat and Shruti Gangwar, alongside Dharampal Singh, Radhakant Ojha, Prakash Pal, Vidyasagar Sonkar, Gopi Krishna Pandey, and Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan.

Union Minister Omission: Hardeep Singh Puri was notably left off the nominee list, signaling to party insiders that a cabinet shakeup may be imminent.
Prominent Nominees: The list features notable political figures, including Shruti Gangwar, daughter of Jharkhand Governor Santosh Gangwar.
Electoral Mathematics: The BJP and NDA allies hold significant legislative strength in the UP Assembly, positioning them to comfortably secure multiple seats despite needing careful cross-party support for their eighth candidate.

The Context & Background

Ten Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh are currently falling vacant, with eight previously held by the BJP, one by the Samajwadi Party, and one by the BSP. The upcoming October 16 polls represent a critical legislative battleground in India's politically vital state ahead of broader electoral cycles.

Why it matters:The exclusion of a senior Union Minister like Hardeep Singh Puri points toward significant upcoming realignments within India's central government. Furthermore, the candidate selection reflects strategic regional positioning for the BJP as it navigates complex state assembly dynamics in Uttar Pradesh.

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