Nominations for the 10 vacant Rajya Sabha seats in Uttar Pradesh have started on Tuesday, September 29, for which the BJP and the Samajwadi Party (SP) are finalizing the names of their candidates. Meanwhile, several media reports suggest that the BJP may send its National General Secretary and former MP Smriti Irani to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. The Samajwadi Party will also file nominations for 3 seats. The Rajya Sabha elections are scheduled to take place on October 16. Probable Names Emerge from BJP Probable names from the BJP side include Smriti Irani, Harish Dwivedi, Rekha Verma, Geeta Shakya, Rajveer Singh, Priyanka Rawat, Kaushal Kishore, Hardeep Puri, Brij Lal, Prakash Pal, and Durvijay Shakya. The tenure of Geeta Shakya and B. L. Verma is coming to an end. Verma is a Union Minister, so he may be re-elected. From the Other Backward Classes (OBC), the names of Prakash Pal and Rekha Verma are under discussion. Betting on Dalit Leaders as Well Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri's tenure is coming to an end, but he may return due to the Punjab elections next year. In place of Dalit leader Brij Lal, the BJP may send former MP from Mohanlalganj, Kaushal Kishore, to the Rajya Sabha. As Jat leaders, the names of former Minister Sanjeev Balyan and former MP Satyapal Singh have surfaced. This time, Varun Gandhi's name is also under consideration. Amit Malviya may also be sent to the Rajya Sabha. Whom Will the Samajwadi Party Send to the Rajya Sabha? The Samajwadi Party is once again considering sending its senior leader Ram Gopal Yadav to the Rajya Sabha. The names of former IAS officer Alok Ranjan and Salim Iqbal are also being discussed, indicating that the party is preparing for the electoral fray. Opposition is also visible within the party due to no Dalit or OBC candidate's name being under discussion. However, the party has not made an official announcement yet. Tough Contest for One Seat There are 403 Assembly seats in Uttar Pradesh, with 396 current MLAs. Winning one seat requires the votes of 37 MLAs. The BJP has 255 MLAs. It can win 7 seats on its own. After that, it will have 33 surplus MLA votes remaining. The BJP will field a candidate for the eighth seat.