Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 30 (ANI): Samajwadi Party’s Rajya Sabha nominee Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani on Wednesday thanked party chief Akhilesh Yadav for the “trust and confidence” placed in him after filing his nomination for the Upper House from Uttar Pradesh.
Nathwani filed his nomination papers in Lucknow in the presence of Akhilesh Yadav, marking his entry into a new phase of public life.
In a post on X, Nathwani expressed his gratitude to the SP chief for nominating him as the party’s Rajya Sabha candidate from Uttar Pradesh.
“I express my heartfelt gratitude and thanks to the Honourable National President Shri Akhilesh Yadav Ji for nominating me as the Samajwadi Party candidate for Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh,” Nathwani said.
“Today, in Lucknow, in the presence of the Honourable Akhilesh Yadav Ji, I filed my nomination for Rajya Sabha as I step into this new phase of public life. I offer my heartfelt thanks to all of you for your affection, trust, and best wishes,” he added.
उत्तर प्रदेश से राज्यसभा के लिए मुझे समाजवादी पार्टी का उम्मीदवार बनाए जाने पर माननीय राष्ट्रीय अध्यक्ष श्री अखिलेश यादव जी का हृदय से आभार एवं धन्यवाद करता हूँ।
सार्वजनिक जीवन के इस नए पड़ाव की ओर आज लखनऊ में माननीय अखिलेश यादव जी की उपस्थिति में राज्यसभा के लिए मैंने अपना… pic.twitter.com/03eOC6GtyZ
Nathwani is Director of Reliance New Energy Limited and President of the Gujarat Cricket Association. His profile describes him as an industrialist and institutional strategist with responsibilities spanning manufacturing, infrastructure, new energy, defence and real estate.
According to his profile, Nathwani is a Board Member of Reliance Corporate IT Park Limited and oversees the Jamnagar manufacturing divisions as well as strategic responsibilities related to Reliance Jio in Gujarat. He also leads the Engineering, Procurement and Construction (EPC) vertical and oversees construction and infrastructure projects across the Reliance ecosystem.
In the sports sector, Nathwani serves as President of the Gujarat Cricket Association, where his profile highlights work related to governance, infrastructure and grassroots cricket development. The association administers the Narendra Modi Stadium.
His profile also lists associations with several educational, environmental, wildlife and heritage institutions, including the Gujarat State Board for Wildlife, Pandit Dindayal Energy University, Gujarat Energy Research and Management Institute and GLS University.
Meanwhile, SP candidate Professor Ram Gopal Yadav also filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. Asked whether the party would field a third candidate, he said, “Only the National President can tell you about that.”
SP leader ST Hasan expressed confidence that the party could secure victories for three candidates.
“SP will ensure that all three candidates win. We are fully confident. There will be more surprises now and also in 2027. You saw how we managed to bring them over from the NDA fold,” Hasan said.
He added, “If we manage to break the BJP's ranks, it would be a massive achievement.”
SP MLA from Kanpur Cantonment Mohd Hassan Roomi also suggested that the party was preparing for a third candidate.
“Today, a prominent industrialist from the Reliance Group has entered the Rajya Sabha under the Samajwadi Party banner. I am hopeful that the era of the 2012 Samajwadi Party government will return,” Roomi said.
He further claimed there was a split within the BJP and NDA and said, “When our third candidate files their nomination, it will be done with the firm conviction of victory. Once the nomination is filed, you can assume that the third candidate is going to win.”
These political claims have not been independently established.
Meanwhile, Uttar Pradesh Minister Danish Azad Ansari criticised the SP, alleging that the party was attempting to spread “confusion and hatred” in the state.
“No matter how much the Samajwadi Party tries to spread confusion and hatred in Uttar Pradesh, these remain its only two agendas. But the people of our state have rejected the Samajwadi Party has faced defeat in every election,” Ansari said.
In Delhi, Congress leader Kunwar Danish Ali commented on Akhilesh Yadav’s absence from the INDIA bloc meeting, saying the meeting was between parties rather than individuals.
“This is a meeting of the parties. Any representative of the party should be there. In the INDIA alliance, parties are included, not any individual personally,” Ali said.
The Election Commission has announced polling for 11 Rajya Sabha seats, including 10 from Uttar Pradesh and one from Uttarakhand, on October 16. The terms of the sitting members are scheduled to expire on November 25. (ANI)
