BY SANJEEB KUMAR SAHOO
For me, political journalism means service to the nation, not a means of conducting business or seeking personal benefits. In my 15 years of journalism, I have never asked for personal favours or conducted business through political journalism or National Political Mirror.
However, there are politicians and political parties who, in my view, appear to be misleading people in the name of slogans such as Pichhda (Backward Classes/OBCs), Dalit (Scheduled Castes), and Alpashankhyak (Minorities). One example, in my view, is the politics pursued by Samajwadi Party president Akhilesh Yadav over the past couple of years under the PDA slogan—Pichhda (Backward Classes/OBCs), Dalit (Scheduled Castes), and Alpashankhyak (Minorities).
But today, instead of an Alpashankhyak (minority), the Rajya Sabha ticket has reportedly gone to a young Gujarati man, Dhanraj Nathwani from an audyogik (industrial) background.
So, ladies and gentlemen, Akhilesh Yadav has given a Rajya Sabha ticket to industrialist and sports administrator Dhanraj Nathwani, the son of Parimal Nathwani. Parimal Nathwani is a close associate of Mukesh Ambani and has been described by some as the “eyes and ears” of India’s second-richest person, Mukesh Ambani.
With the support of BJP MLAs and Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD MLAs, Parimal Nathwani also won a Rajya Sabha election from Jharkhand in June 2026.
Interestingly, Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav has given the second Rajya Sabha ticket to his uncle, Ram Gopal Yadav. Both Ram Gopal Yadav and Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani filed their nomination papers at 11 a.m. on September 30 in Lucknow, in the presence of party national president Akhilesh Yadav.
In the 403-member Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly, the ruling NDA has 291 MLAs, including 255 from the BJP. With the support of the Jansatta Dal (Loktantrik), which has two MLAs, the alliance’s effective strength is 293. The main opposition party, the Samajwadi Party, has 101 MLAs, while its ally, the Congress, has two.
All elected members of the Uttar Pradesh Legislative Assembly are eligible to vote in the Rajya Sabha elections. A candidate requires 37 votes to win one seat.
Based on current strength, the BJP-led ruling alliance has the numbers to win eight of the 10 Rajya Sabha seats, and the Samajwadi Party, with the Congress’s support, can win two.
And it will be interesting to see whether Congress MLAs vote in support of Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani, given that top Congress leader and India’s Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, has frequently criticised Mukesh Ambani.
Addressing a large gathering of students at the ‘Chhatron Ki Goonj’ programme in Indore on September 19, India’s Leader of the Opposition, Rahul Gandhi, stated that the system is run by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, enforced by Union Home Minister Amit Shah, and includes figures such as RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval, and industrialists Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani. Gandhi alleged that these individuals have influence over key sectors and that the system is designed to suppress students’ voices.
I strongly believe that Dhanraj Nathwani’s Rajya Sabha ticket is probably one of the most expensive Rajya Sabha seats in India. I say this because I believe I am more eligible than Dhanraj Nathwani, yet I would not get even an MLC ticket if I asked Akhilesh Yadav’s Samajwadi Party for one.
And trust me, throughout the day, journalists in Lutyens’ Delhi were discussing the alleged value of the Rajya Sabha ticket. One journalist told me that the second Samajwadi Party Rajya Sabha ticket would be worth around Rs 200 crore, while another senior woman journalist told me that it could be around Rs 500 crore. Another journalist told me that there is nothing wrong with sending a businessman to the Rajya Sabha, as elections need money, and, according to him, only businessmen can provide the necessary funds.
These discussions took place after the INDIA bloc press conference at Constitution Club in New Delhi. However, I would never disclose who was discussing the Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha elections today.
Trust me, as I have said before, for me, journalism is service to the nation. Therefore, I will always question political parties when they promote industrialists through Rajya Sabha nominations. The father is a Rajya Sabha member with the support of Tejashwi Yadav’s RJD MLAs, and the son is now set to become a Rajya Sabha MP with the support of Akhilesh Yadav’s SP MLAs.
In my view, the decision to send Dhanraj Nathwani to the Rajya Sabha appears more like a business-related arrangement than a political decision. I do not have evidence to prove this, and I am presenting it as my personal opinion rather than an established fact. The Enforcement Directorate (ED) should remain alert to any allegations of financial wrongdoing and investigate them if credible evidence or complaints emerge.
These days, some people appear to be entering politics to earn crores while helping business families whose wealth gives them opportunities that many needy people in India do not have. Trust me, no matter what happens, I will always stand for honest and genuine political journalism rather than falling into anyone’s trap.
