IndiaPosted at: Sep 30 2026 4:44PM


Surprise' Samajwadi candidate Dhanraj Nathwani for Rajya Sabha sets Delhi’s power corridors abuzz

Vibha Sharma
New Delhi, Sep 30 (UNI) In India, there are many high-profile political families divided across opposing political parties, such as the Scindia family once upon a time. Split loyalties also often resulted in relatives campaigning against each other. However, this is perhaps the first time that a powerful business/corporate family will have members on both sides of the spectrum—the Treasury and Opposition benches—both.
The Samajwadi Party’s “surprise” candidate for the Rajya Sabha polls, Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani—a senior executive with the Reliance Industries and considered to be very close to the Ambani family—has set Delhi’s power corridors abuzz. And not only because it showed how close the Samajwadi Party and supremo Akhilesh Yadav is still close India’s leading business family, but also because, just a couple of months earlier, in June this year, the BJP-led NDA helped send his father, Parimal Dhirajlal Nathwani, back to the Rajya Sabha.
Just a couple of months late, the Samajwadi Party announced Dhanraj’s candidature for a seat from Uttar Pradesh, extending the family’s Parliamentary journey. Parimal Nathwani, also associated with Reliance Industries, currently represents Jharkhand.
Incidentally, both father and son are said to share a very close rapport with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and union Minister Amit Shah. Dhanraj is also the president of the Gujarat Cricket Association, which administers the prestigious Narendra Modi Stadium.
He was unanimously elected GCA president in 2022, succeeding Shah.
The announcement, especially on a day when Akhilesh Yadav chose to skip the important Congress-led INDIA bloc meeting in Delhi and sent representatives instead, caught both the public and party circles by surprise, raising questions about the strategy behind the nomination.
As a senior corporate leader and someone closely associated with the Ambani family, Dhanraj’s entry into politics from the Samajwadi Party is being viewed from multiple angles. Observers point out that given his corporate and cricket background, he could have managed a Rajya Sabha ticket from anyone in the ruling side. So the contention that the BJP did not want to be seen promoting “dynastic rule” doesn't really hold water.
Under Akhilesh Yadav, the Samajwadi Party with its socialist and backward-caste “PDA” (Pichhde, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) narrative gave a hard time to the BJP in the last Lok Sabha elections.
Choosing a prominent captain of industry from India’s largest corporate conglomerate contrasts with the standard Samajwadi political ideology and line. At the same time it also opens up multiple, in fact unlimited, political possibilities for both the Samajwadi Party and the BJP in the political battles ahead.UNI VS AAB
Tags: #Surprise' Samajwadi candidate Dhanraj Nathwani for Rajya Sabha sets Delhi’s power corridors abuzz
More News

Minister inspects Delhi State Health Mission, directs officials to plug gaps in programme implementation

01 Oct 2026 | 7:13 PM

New Delhi, Oct 1 (UNI) Delhi Health Minister Dr Pankaj Kumar Singh on Thursday inspected the Delhi State Health Mission (DSHM) office and reviewed the implementation of various public health programmes, including TB elimination, dialysis, maternal and child health, immunisation, mental health, non-communicable diseases and disease surveillance.

see more..

MoD organises blood donation camp on National Voluntary Blood Donation Day

01 Oct 2026 | 6:57 PM

New Delhi, Oct 1 (UNI) The Ministry of Defence, in collaboration with the Armed Forces Transfusion Centre, organised a voluntary blood donation camp at Kartavya Bhavan-2 here on Thursday on the occasion of National Voluntary Blood Donation Day. The theme of this year’s campaign was “One drop of Humanity, Give Blood, Save Lives.” .

see more..

SC declines relief to TMC over frozen bank accounts, asks Calcutta HC to expedite hearing

01 Oct 2026 | 6:45 PM

Parmod Kumar

New Delhi, Oct 1 (UNI) In a setback to the Mamata Banerjee-led Trinamool Congress, the Supreme Court on Thursday declined to grant any relief against the freezing of four of the party’s bank accounts by the State police and instead asked the Calcutta High Court to expedite the proceedings pending before it.

see more..

Haryana, Uttarakhand & Punjab bag top 3 spots in voluntary blood donations

01 Oct 2026 | 6:35 PM

New Delhi, Oct 1 (UNI) As the annual nationwide blood donation campaign nears its end, Haryana was awarded first place for the highest blood collection in 2025, officials from the Health Ministry said today.

see more..

Rajnath Singh launches digital, financial management initiatives at DAD’s 279th Annual Day

01 Oct 2026 | 5:45 PM

New Delhi, Oct 1 (UNI) Defence Accounts Department (DAD) must strive for “maximum digitisation, maximum automation and maximum transparency” while integrating the financial systems of the three Services to enable real-time monitoring and informed decision-making, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on Thursday.

see more..