Samajwadi Party nominates Nathwani and Ram Gopal Yadav

The Samajwadi Party has nominated Reliance executive Dhanraj Nathwani and senior party leader Ram Gopal Yadav for Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh. Both filed their nomination papers in Lucknow on September 30, accompanied by party president Akhilesh Yadav, according to reports and photographs of the filing. Nathwani’s selection drew attention because he is a corporate executive associated with Reliance Industries and is based in Gujarat, while the seat is being contested from Uttar Pradesh. He is also president of the Gujarat Cricket Association and a director of Reliance New Energy. His father, Parimal Nathwani, is a Reliance executive and a Rajya Sabha member from Jharkhand backed by the NDA. Ram Gopal Yadav, a senior Samajwadi Party leader and national general secretary, was the party’s other nominee. His selection was widely expected, while Dhanraj Nathwani’s was described in reports as a surprise. The nominations place a corporate executive and a veteran party figure together on the Samajwadi Party’s announced slate. The filing comes ahead of polling scheduled for October 16. Ten Rajya Sabha seats are due to be contested in Uttar Pradesh.