# BJP set for 8 of 10 Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh

2026-09-22T21:01:34+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk

Corroboration: 3 independent outlets

The Election Commission announced polls for 12 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand and West Bengal on October 16. In Uttar Pradesh, the BJP-led alliance with 289-290 MLAs is expected to win eight of the 10 seats, while the SP-Congress combine with 103 MLAs can secure two. A candidate needs about 37 votes. The election could end the BSP's parliamentary presence: its lone Rajya Sabha member Ramji Gautam's term ends in November, and it has no Lok Sabha or assembly members. Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri and seven other BJP members, and SP's Ram Gopal Yadav are among those retiring. Nominations open on September 29, with polling and counting on October 16 if required. BJP is also expected to win the lone West Bengal seat after actor Rukmini Mallick's resignation. In Uttarakhand, BJP's Naresh Bansal's term is ending, and the party is expected to retain the seat.

## Indian Opinion Analysis

All three outlets report the same arithmetic: BJP-led alliance has 289-290 MLAs in UP against SP-Congress's 103, enough for eight seats. Times of India and Hindustan Times foreground the possibility of cross-voting from either side, while National Herald leads with the EC's announcement. The uniform coverage does not dispute the projection. The story's real weight is political: the BSP's likely exit from Parliament clears a space, and the December 5 legislative council results will be the next concrete test of whether the BJP can repeat the cross-voting gains it made in the February 2024 Rajya Sabha polls.

## Coverage

- timesofindia.indiatimes.com (neutral report) <https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/rajya-sabha-polls-for-12-seats-bjp-likely-to-retain-8-in-up-sp-eyes-gain-bsp-at-risk/articleshow/134414046.cms>
  Leads with BJP's expected retention and BSP's exit, neutral arithmetic-focused framing
- nationalheraldindia.com (neutral report) <https://www.nationalheraldindia.com/national/rajya-sabha-polls-for-12-seats-on-oct-16-sp-to-gain-in-up-bsp-faces-loss>
  Leads with EC announcement, frames SP gain as headline alongside BSP loss
- hindustantimes.com (neutral report) <https://www.hindustantimes.com/cities/lucknow-news/rs-polls-for-10-seats-on-oct-16-bjp-likely-to-retain-8-in-up-bsp-faces-exit-101790098380046.html>
  Foregrounds cross-voting fears and political strategy for 2027 assembly polls

Tags: BJP, BSP, Election Commission, Rajya Sabha, Samajwadi Party, Uttar Pradesh
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