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Polling for the Rajya Sabha seats across Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal will be held on October 16
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Moneycontrol•06-10-2026, 11:12
BJP Drops All 8 Sitting MPs in UP Rajya Sabha List Strategy Explained
  • •The BJP has replaced all eight sitting Rajya Sabha MPs in Uttar Pradesh with a new list of candidates to recalibrate its social and organizational strategy ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
  • •The new candidate selection features a carefully balanced mix of non-Yadav OBCs, Dalits, upper castes, and women to rebuild the party's social coalition following setbacks in the 2024 Lok Sabha polls.
  • •Key nominees include state minister Dharampal Singh, OBC Morcha chief Prakash Pal, Kurmi leader Shruti Gangwar, Brahmin faces Radhakant Ojha and Gopi Krishna Pandey, and Rajput leader Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan.
  • •Dalit representation and gender diversity are reinforced through veteran leader Vidyasagar Sonkar and former MP Priyanka Singh Rawat, alongside strong regional balancing across Rohilkhand, Awadh, and Purvanchal.
  • •The wholesale changes signal to grassroots workers that organizational dedication is being rewarded over established parliamentary faces, setting the stage for the upcoming state elections.

Key Questions Answered

The BJP dropped all its outgoing members to prepare the party's social and organisational ground for the 2027 Assembly elections, signaling that electoral politics will not be driven solely by established parliamentary faces.

The new picks include Dharampal Singh, Radhakant Ojha, Prakash Pal, Vidyasagar Sonkar, Gopi Krishna Pandey, Priyanka Singh Rawat, Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan, and Shruti Gangwar.

The list includes three non-Yadav OBCs, three upper-caste members, and two Dalits, alongside two women. Geographically, the candidates cover Rohilkhand, Awadh, Kanpur-Bundelkhand, western Uttar Pradesh, and Purvanchal to balance regional representation.