The BJP has released another list for the Rajya Sabha elections. Union Ministers Hardeep Puri and B.L. Verma are missing from this list. The Bharatiya Janata Party’s Central Election Committee has released a list of eight candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh. This list includes two women. The BJP has given tickets to Priyanka Singh Rawat and Shruti Gangwar.
However, the most surprising thing in this list is the absence of Union Ministers Hardeep Puri and Banwari Lal Verma. This has sparked discussions about whether these two veterans will now be removed from the Modi Cabinet as well. The way the BJP has finalized the candidates for the eight seats in the Rajya Sabha elections makes it clear that Hardeep Puri will not be contesting the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh this time. His term ends on November 25, 2026.
There is talk that after being ousted from the Upper House, he may also be removed from the Union Cabinet. Along with them, Union Minister Banwari Lal Verma also did not receive a Rajya Sabha ticket. He was also elected to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh in 2020. However, his absence from the BJP list could mean he will be removed from the Union Cabinet as well.
In addition to Hardeep Puri and B.L. Verma, three other names that were being discussed in the BJP’s Rajya Sabha list from Uttar Pradesh were Smriti Irani, Varun Gandhi, and Sanjeev Balyan. There were also speculations that poet Kumar Vishwas would also be sent to the Rajya Sabha from the BJP. However, the BJP has surprised everyone with its list. The Bharatiya Janata Party announced the names of candidates while taking into account the caste dynamics of the state. This list also places a special focus on women’s representation.
The BJP’s Central Election Committee has released a list of eight candidates from Uttar Pradesh for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections. Two women have also been nominated in this list. The BJP list includes Dharampal Singh, Radhakant Ojha, Prakash Pal, Vidyasagar Sonkar, Gopi Krishna Pandey, Priyanka Singh Rawat, Ram Pratap Singh Chauhan, and Shruti Gangwar.
Biennial elections will be held for 10 seats in Uttar Pradesh and one seat in Uttarakhand, while a by-election will be held for one seat in West Bengal. Voting for all these seats will take place on October 16th. The terms of 11 Rajya Sabha members from Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand expire in November 2026, which is why elections are being held for these seats. Additionally, one seat has fallen vacant in West Bengal. Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha member Rukmini Mallick resigned from this seat on July 16th. Her term was until April 2, 2032. A by-election will be held to fill this vacant seat.
According to the Election Commission, the last date for filing nominations is October 6th.
Nomination papers will be scrutinized on October 7th, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until Friday, October 9th.
Voting will take place on October 16th.
Voting will be held from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
Counting of votes will begin at 5:00 PM on the same day.
The entire election process will be completed by October 19.