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BSP president Mayawati said the Samajwadi Party’s nominations for Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh sit uneasily with its appeal to PDA voters. Her criticism focused on the two named nominees, Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani, and contrasted their selection with what she described as the BSP’s candidate choices. Those are Mayawati’s political arguments, not independent findings about either party’s wider record.
What prompted Mayawati’s criticism?
On October 2, 2026, Mayawati criticized the SP’s nominations for Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh. The Indian Express and Hindustan Times reported that the party had nominated senior leader Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani; both reportedly filed nomination papers on September 30 in Akhilesh Yadav’s presence, according to Hindustan Times. The Indian Express report and Hindustan Times’ report describe the dispute.
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| Nominee | What the reports say |
|---|---|
| Ram Gopal Yadav | Senior SP leader; Mayawati described him as a close relative of party chief Akhilesh Yadav. |
| Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani | Mayawati characterized him as associated with a prominent industrial house. Aaj Tak described him as a Reliance Industries group president and a director at Reliance New Energy; those job titles are attributed to that outlet. |
Aaj Tak’s October 2 report provides the corporate titles for Nathwani. The other cited coverage describes his industrial-house connection without those specific roles.
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In the reports, PDA stands for Pichhda, Dalit and Alpsankhyak—backward, Dalit and minority communities. Mayawati’s argument was that the SP seeks these communities’ votes while, in her view, giving parliamentary and assembly positions largely to political family members and wealthy industrialists. Hindustan Times reproduced her post saying: “SP wants PDA votes in elections but makes its family members and big capitalists MPs and MLAs.” The statement is Mayawati’s charge; the reports do not establish it as a comprehensive account of SP selections.
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How did Mayawati contrast the BSP’s choices?
Mayawati presented the BSP as choosing hardworking Ambedkarite workers from poor, middle-class and weaker sections, in contrast with the SP selections she criticized. That, too, is her characterization of BSP practice, as reported by The Indian Express; the cited coverage does not independently assess candidate selection across either party.
Did Mayawati say the SP would field a third candidate?
She speculated that a possible third SP nominee might be a “face-saving” candidate intended to lose, saying that this was what she believed people expected. That was Mayawati’s prediction, not an announcement by the SP or confirmation of its plans.
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What was known about the election at the time?
The reports referred to ten Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh and covered the nominations and political reaction. They described the election as upcoming in their October 2 publication window, but the cited coverage does not establish a final result. The article’s claims about the nominees and Mayawati’s criticism should therefore be read as reporting on that moment, not as an election outcome.
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