BJP Snubs Varun Gandhi And Maneka Gandhi In UP Rajya Sabha Nominations Just Hours Before Deadline
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
Summarized by AI; it may make mistakes. Check important info
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday passed over former parliamentarians Varun Gandhi and Maneka Gandhi for the upcoming Rajya Sabha biennial elections in Uttar Pradesh, releasing a list dominated by regional organisation leaders.
The official candidate list arrived barely 24 hours before the October 6 deadline to file nomination papers, shutting the door on weeks of political speculation surrounding an Upper House entry for the mother-son duo.
Strategic Shift
Speculation had mounted that the BJP central leadership would nominate either former Pilibhit MP Varun Gandhi or former Union Minister Maneka Gandhi to balance caste and regional equations in Uttar Pradesh. Neither leader has held a parliamentary seat since the 2024 general elections, when Varun Gandhi was denied a ticket from Pilibhit and Maneka Gandhi lost her contest in Sultanpur.
Despite local political panels including Varun Gandhi, Maneka Gandhi, and former Union Minister Smriti Irani in discussions forwarded to New Delhi, the Central Election Committee selected fresh organisational faces instead. The eleventh-hour announcement reflects a deliberate shift away from legacy figures in favour of cadre workers ahead of upcoming state electoral tests.
Focus On Grassroots Cadres And Regional Leaders
The official announcement issued by BJP National General Secretary Tarun Chugh prioritises party functionaries and regional representatives over national heavyweights. Prominent nominees include State General Secretary (Organisation) Dharampal Singh, Braj Region President Prakash Pal, and former Barabanki MP Priyanka Singh Rawat.
The eight candidates approved by the Central Election Committee for Uttar Pradesh are:
• Shri Dharampal Singh (BJP State General Secretary - Organisation)
• Shri Radhakant Ojha (Former President, Allahabad High Court Bar Association)
• Shri Prakash Pal (Braj Region President)
• Shri Vidyasagar Sonkar (MLC and former SC Morcha chief)
• Shri Gopi Krishna Pandey
• Smt. Priyanka Singh Rawat (Former MP, Barabanki)
• Shri Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan (Former MLA)
• Smt. Shruti Gangwar
Nomination Deadline is 24 Hrs Away
With the announcement coming just one day prior to the October 6 deadline, all eight party nominees must complete their documentation and submit filings before the Returning Officer in Lucknow. Official scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on October 7, while the last date for withdrawal of candidature is October 9.
If required, polling for the Rajya Sabha seats will take place on October 16 between 9:00 AM and 4:00 PM, with counting scheduled the same evening. The entire election process will conclude by October 19. Given the party's strong majority in the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, all eight BJP nominees are set to comfortable victories.
