Akhilesh fields Reliance executive for Rajya Sabha poll

The Samajwadi Party has fielded Reliance Industries executive Dhanraj Nathwani as its candidate for the October 16 Rajya Sabha elections, alongside veteran party leader Ram Gopal Yadav. Both candidates filed their nomination papers on Wednesday. While Ram Gopal Yadav's selection was widely anticipated given his position as a seasoned leader and uncle of SP chief Akhilesh Yadav, Nathwani's candidacy came as a surprise even within party circles.

Nathwani, 40, is a senior corporate executive at Reliance Industries and currently serves as group president at the Mukesh Ambani-led conglomerate. He is a director of Reliance New Energy Ltd and Reliance Projects Property Management Services Ltd, overseeing the group's Jamnagar manufacturing division and working with Reliance Jio in Gujarat. He also leads the engineering, procurement, and construction vertical and supervises infrastructure projects across the Reliance ecosystem. Nathwani has been associated with Reliance Industries for approximately 16 years in various senior positions. His father, Parimal Nathwani, is Director of Corporate Affairs for Reliance Industries and was re-elected to the Rajya Sabha from Jharkhand as an NDA-backed Independent in June 2026, securing his fourth consecutive term.

Akhilesh Yadav justified the selection by stating he was pleased that the SP could send a person from the new generation to the Upper House. "Many parties have a footprint in the corporate world. So the Samajwadi Party has also decided to have a Rajya Sabha MP to connect with the business world," he said. Nathwani thanked the SP chief for the nomination.