Jagran State Bureau, Lucknow | The BJP may end the exile of former MP Varun Gandhi by sending him to the Upper House, paving the way for his inclusion in the Modi cabinet. The ruling party sent a message to the opposition parties by saying that the Rajya Sabha and Legislative Council elections will be fought as seriously as the Lok Sabha elections and that no mistake will be made in Mission-2027.

Varun, besides being the national vice president of BJP, had been an MP from Sultanpur in 2009 and Pilibhit in 2019, but in the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, the party fielded his mother, Maneka Gandhi, from Sultanpur. He was denied a ticket due to criticising the party's policies on several occasions.

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Varun Gandhi Called On PM Modi

Varun, who has been away from politics for more than two years, met Prime Minister Narendra Modi with his family in March this year. He described PM Modi as a wonderful person and fatherly figure. Since then, speculation has been rife that he may receive special attention within the BJP.

Who All Are In Race To Upper House?

Anil Jain, a former national office-bearer and Rajya Sabha member from 2018 to 2024, is being considered a front-runner.

To strengthen the Jat alliance in western Uttar Pradesh, the party may offer a chance to either former Union Minister Satyapal Singh or Sanjeev Baliyan.

National General Secretary Harish Dwivedi, along with Mathura MLA and Himachal Pradesh in-charge Shrikant Sharma, are also being discussed to reach out to Brahmins and deliver a message.

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Union Minister BL Verma belongs to the Lodhi community and could be reelected to the Upper House based on caste equations. OBC Front state president Prakash Pal is also said to be a contender.

In the Scheduled Castes, the party is considering several other names, including Jugal Kishore, former MP Vidya Sagar Sonkar, and former state party president Ramchandra Kanaujia.

Based on numerical strength, the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance is projected to secure seven out of the 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh going to polls on October 16, 2026. The ruling party will attempt to win the 8th seat as it lacks only a few votes, which it may achieve through cross-voting in the Opposition camp.

(With Inputs From Santosh Shukla)