Is Dharmendra Kashyap Leaving BJP? ‘Tata Bye-Bye’ Post, Rajya Sabha Snub and Hint at Samajwadi Party Return
Former UP minister Dharmendra Kumar Kashyap posted 'Tata Bye-Bye' after being left out of BJP's Rajya Sabha list, and said his next political move will be announced after consulting supporters.
Former Uttar Pradesh minister and two-time Aonla MP Dharmendra Kumar Kashyap has set off political speculation in Bareilly and across Rohilkhand after posting a sunset-by-the-sea picture on Facebook with the words "Tata Bye-Bye", soon after the BJP announced its Rajya Sabha candidates from Uttar Pradesh. Speaking on Wednesday, the OBC leader said he would make a formal announcement about joining a new party only after discussions with his workers and supporters. He has not formally announced his resignation from the BJP so far, and the post has fuelled talk of a possible homecoming to the Samajwadi Party, PTI reported.
"Where my next political destination will be, everyone will know very soon," Kashyap said when asked if he would join the SP, stopping short of naming any party.
Why Kashyap Is Upset With BJP
Kashyap said his anger is rooted in the party's silence on those who worked against him in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections. "Those who openly opposed me and worked to defeat me in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, if they are made to sit in the front row of the party, it will certainly hurt. When the party takes no action against such people and does not even express concern, it becomes natural for a self-respecting person like me to say 'Tata Bye-Bye'," he said. Rajya Sabha Elections 2026: 12 Candidates File Nominations for 10 Seats in Uttar Pradesh.
Left Out Of Rajya Sabha List
According to sources, Kashyap was hopeful of a Rajya Sabha ticket but his name did not figure in the list. The BJP has instead fielded state Cabinet minister Dharampal Singh and Shruti Gangwar, daughter of former Union minister and former Jharkhand governor Santosh Gangwar, both from Bareilly district.
Supporters' Meetings Across Bareilly Division
Kashyap said meetings with supporters are being convened not just in Aonla but across Bareilly district and the wider Bareilly division. He made it clear that the call on a new party will be taken only after hearing the workers' opinion.
Who Is Dharmendra Kumar Kashyap?
Kashyap is seen as one of the prominent political faces of the Kashyap community in Rohilkhand, northwestern Uttar Pradesh. He began with grassroots politics and moved from the SP to the BJP in May 2013. He then won the Aonla Lok Sabha seat twice, in 2014 and 2019, before narrowly losing the 2024 election from the same seat.
UP Assembly Polls Due Next Year
His possible exit comes at a sensitive time for the BJP, with Assembly elections in Uttar Pradesh due next year.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 07, 2026 09:06 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).
