Who Is Dhanraj Nathwani ? Akhilesh Yadav’s Surprise Rajya Sabha Pick And Son Of NDA-backed MP

With the Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections scheduled for early 2027, the state is now preparing for another political contest the Rajya Sabha elections.

The Samajwadi Party (SP) has named corporate executive Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani and party veteran Ram Gopal Yadav as its candidates for the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh.

The nominations came as SP chief Akhilesh Yadav stayed away from the INDIA bloc meeting in New Delhi on September 30. Both candidates filed their nominations on Wednesday in the presence of Akhilesh Yadav.

Who Is Dhanraj Nathwani?

Dhanraj Nathwani is a senior corporate executive associated with Reliance Industries. He is a Group President at the Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate. He is also a director at Reliance New Energy Limited and Reliance Projects & Property Management Services Limited.

Nathwani has been associated with Reliance for around 16 years and has held senior positions, including that of Group Senior Vice-President.

His LinkedIn profile says he has overseen several non-technical functions across Reliance's manufacturing divisions, including finance and accounts, procurement and contracts, human resources, information technology, security, corporate affairs and corporate social responsibility.

Nathwani is also associated with sports administration. He has been Vice-President of the Gujarat Cricket Association since September 2019. He has also held positions in the Jamnagar District Football Association and other institutions in Gujarat.

He is also associated with the Dwarkadhish Temple Administrative Committee.

Nathwani's Political Connection

Dhanraj Nathwani is the son of Parimal Nathwani, a senior Reliance executive and Rajya Sabha MP.

Parimal Nathwani was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand as an NDA-backed Independent in June 2026. His latest election marked his fourth consecutive term in the Upper House.

Dhanraj's selection by the UP-based SP therefore brings a corporate executive with Gujarat roots into the party's Rajya Sabha plans. His father's parliamentary career and association with the NDA also form part of the political context surrounding the nomination.

Why Ram Gopal Yadav?

Ram Gopal Yadav represents continuity for the SP. He is a founding figure of the party and a long-time strategist who has represented the SP in the Rajya Sabha for several terms.

His renomination comes as the party prepares for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections.

Rajya Sabha Math In UP

Ten Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh are up for election on October 16. The effective strength of the state Assembly has been reported at 397, with around 37 first-preference votes required to win a seat.

The SP has enough numbers, along with Congress support, to secure two seats.

There had been speculation among political pundits that the Samajwadi Party (SP) could field a third candidate for the Rajya Sabha. However, securing a third seat would require support from legislators outside the alliance.

Earlier on Wednesday, before the SP announced its candidates, Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party chief Om Prakash Rajbhar took a dig at Akhilesh Yadav in a post on X.

Addressing the SP chief, Rajbhar said he had heard that the party was planning to field three Rajya Sabha candidates and questioned whether all three would fit its “PDA” framework.

Referring to Ram Gopal Yadav, Rajbhar said the first candidate represented “P” for “Parivar” (family). He then asked who would represent “D” and “A”, referring to “Daulatmand” (wealthy) and “Aparadhi” (criminal), respectively.

Rajbhar claimed that backward-class, Dalit and Muslim voters would want to know how the SP planned to send “family, wealthy and criminals” to the Upper House.

He concluded by advising Akhilesh Yadav not to risk losing the second seat while attempting to secure a third.