Lucknow: Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav has ended days of speculation by deciding against fielding a third candidate in the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha elections. The move clears the way for the BJP to secure eight of the 10 seats, while the SP is set to retain two, with all 10 seats likely to be filled unopposed.
The decision comes just as the nomination deadline approaches and after the BJP announced eight candidates for the politically crucial state. The SP had been weighing whether to enter a third candidate into the contest, potentially setting up a high-stakes battle involving cross-voting and shifting loyalties among MLAs. That possibility has now been dropped.
The SP has already nominated veteran leader Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani. Both candidates are expected to win their seats, leaving the BJP positioned to take the remaining eight.
Why SP Dropped Its Third Candidate Plan
The third-candidate strategy had emerged as one of the biggest political talking points in Uttar Pradesh ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections. The SP-led bloc has the numbers to comfortably elect two candidates but would have needed additional support to push a third nominee through. That made the possibility of cross-voting a critical factor in the calculations.
Rajya Sabha elections are conducted through an open ballot system, allowing authorized party representatives to see how their legislators vote. With the 2027 Assembly elections approaching, any possibility of legislators voting against their party's preferred candidate could have carried significant political consequences.
The BJP-led alliance was also closely monitoring the numbers and the possibility of cross-voting as it sought to secure eight seats. For the SP, fielding a third candidate would have transformed the election into a direct test of its ability to attract support beyond its existing alliance strength.
BJP Set for Eight Seats
The BJP had announced eight candidates for Uttar Pradesh, intensifying speculation over whether the SP would attempt to challenge the party for the final seat.
The BJP’s list includes Dharampal Singh, Priyanka Singh Rawat, Shruti Gangwar, Radhakant Ojha, Prakash Pal, Vidyasagar Sonkar, Gopi Krishna Pandey and Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan.
The selection has also been viewed through the lens of social and organizational representation, with the list including candidates from different communities and two women.
The BJP’s decision to field eight candidates initially raised the possibility of a closely fought Rajya Sabha contest if the SP entered the race with a third nominee. That contest now appears to have been avoided.
Bigger Political Picture Ahead of 2027
The development carries significance beyond the Rajya Sabha numbers. Uttar Pradesh is already moving towards the 2027 Assembly elections, making every indication of legislative strength, party discipline and alliance management politically important.
For the BJP, an uncontested victory on eight seats would strengthen its representation from Uttar Pradesh in the Upper House. For the SP, retaining two seats allows its nominees to enter Parliament without exposing its legislators to a potentially unpredictable cross-voting battle. The decision also removes an immediate political flashpoint between the BJP and SP.
But the larger contest remains firmly on the horizon. With the 2027 Assembly elections expected to dominate political calculations in Uttar Pradesh, the Rajya Sabha episode could become another indicator of how both parties are assessing their strengths, alliances and electoral strategies.