Rajya Sabha Elections 2026: 12 Candidates File Nominations for 10 Seats in Uttar Pradesh

Twelve candidates have filed nomination papers for 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh, with the nomination process concluding on October 6. The BJP has fielded eight candidates while the Samajwadi Party has nominated two, making an unopposed election likely if the nominations clear scrutiny and no candidate withdraws.

12 Candidates File Nominations for 10 Rajya Sabha Seats

According to election officials, nine of the 12 nominations were filed on October 6, the final day for submitting papers, while three nominations had been filed earlier. The nomination papers are being scrutinised on October 7, with October 9 set as the last date for withdrawal. The eight BJP nominees are Dharampal Singh, Radhakant Ojha, Prakash Pal, Vidyasagar Sonkar, Gopi Krishna Pandey, Priyanka Singh Rawat, Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan and Shruti Gangwar.

The Samajwadi Party has nominated veteran leader Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani. Both had filed their nomination papers on September 30 in the presence of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav and other party leaders.

BJP Set to Get Eight Seats, SP Two

The BJP-led alliance has the numbers in the Uttar Pradesh Assembly to secure eight of the 10 Rajya Sabha seats. The SP, with Congress support, has the numbers to win two seats. The SP had earlier considered fielding a third candidate, which could have triggered a contest involving cross-voting and support from legislators outside the SP-Congress alliance. However, Akhilesh Yadav ultimately decided against the move.

In a post on X, Yadav indicated that the party's focus had shifted from securing three Rajya Sabha seats to the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Assembly, ahead of the 2027 state elections.

Rajya Sabha Polling Scheduled for October 16

The Election Commission has scheduled polling for October 16 from 9 am to 4 pm, with counting scheduled for the same day if voting is required. The terms of 10 sitting Rajya Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh are due to expire on November 25.

With eight BJP candidates and two SP candidates matching the 10 available seats, the election is now expected to conclude without a contest, subject to the completion of scrutiny and the withdrawal process. The outcome is also politically significant ahead of the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections, with both the BJP and SP using the Rajya Sabha nomination process to signal their broader electoral priorities.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Oct 07, 2026 07:56 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).