The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has unveiled its roster of Rajya Sabha candidates from Uttar Pradesh, with a notable emphasis on representation from backward castes. This move underscores the party's strategic outreach to diverse communities in anticipation of the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections.
Among the seven candidates announced, four hail from backward castes. Former Union minister R P N Singh, representing the Sainthwar-Kurmi community, heads the list. Joining him are former MP Chaudhary Tejveer Singh from the Jat community, state party general secretary Amarpal Maurya from the Koeri community, and former state minister Sangeeta Balwant from the Bind community.
Additionally, the BJP has nominated party spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi, former MLA Sadhna Singh, and former Agra mayor Naveen Jain, representing the Brahmin, Kshatriya, and Jain communities, respectively.
R P N Singh, aged 59, hailing from the Sainthwar Royal family of Kushinagar, holds significant sway over his community in eastern Uttar Pradesh. A seasoned politician, he served as Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways from 2009 to 2011 and later as Union Minister of State for Home until October 2012.
Trivedi, the national spokesperson, previously elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha in October 2019, continues to represent the party in the upper house.
Amarpal Maurya, the state general secretary, enjoys prominence within the Koeri community and shares a close rapport with Uttar Pradesh Deputy Chief Minister Keshav Prasad Maurya.
Chaudhary Tejveer Singh, hailing from the Jat community, brings his experience as a former MP from Mathura and his active involvement in the cooperative movement.
Sangeeta Balwant, despite her defeat in the 2022 assembly elections, brings her expertise as the former Minister of State for Cooperation in the Yogi Adityanath government.
Sadhna Singh, a former MLA from Chandauli district, and Naveen Jain, a former mayor of Agra Municipal Corporation, complete the BJP's diverse slate of candidates.
With the Rajya Sabha elections slated for February 27 and the Lok Sabha polls scheduled for April-May, the BJP's strategic selection of candidates underscores its commitment to broad-based representation and community outreach in Uttar Pradesh.
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