Lucknow, Sep 30: The Samajwadi Party has once again fielded Ram Gopal Yadav, a cousin of the party’s late founder Mulayam Singh Yadav and popularly known as “professor sahab”, as its candidate for Rajya Sabha polls.
Born on June 29, 1946, in Saifai, Etawah district, Yadav has had a parliamentary career spanning more than three decades and is among the key decision-makers in the party.
He entered the Rajya Sabha in 1992 and served two consecutive terms till 2004. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Sambhal in 2004 and remained a member of the Lower House until 2008.
Yadav returned to the Rajya Sabha in 2008 and was subsequently elected in 2014 and 2020. His latest nomination will put him on course for a sixth term in the Rajya Sabha.
In 2016-2017, a public rift occurred between Akhilesh Yadav, who was then the Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh, and his uncle Shivpal Yadav. Akhilesh’s father, Mulayam Singh Yadav, backed Shivpal, while Ram Gopal Yadav supported Akhilesh but was subsequently expelled from the party for alleged “anti-party activities”. However, Akhilesh later took over the reins of the party, with Ram Gopal among his main advisors.
When asked about his candidature as the party’s number one candidate, Ram Gopal Yadav told reporters, “I am number one for the past 34 years. And now will be there (Rajya Sabha) again for six years.”
Parliament records describe him as an educationist, with an M.Sc. in Physics, M.A. in Political Science and a PhD.
He has been the party’s face in Delhi for years and has served as the party’s parliamentary group leader. He is also the party’s national general secretary.
The Samajwadi Party has alo named Reliance Industries Group President Dhanraj Parimal Nathwani as candidate. (PTI)
