Modi praise by SP's Rajya Sabha pick Nathwani puts Akhilesh in a spot

The Samajwadi Party's decision to nominate Dhanraj Nathwani to the Rajya Sabha has come under fresh scrutiny after the Reliance executive posted a long message praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the completion of 25 years of his political career.

In a post on X on Wednesday, Nathwani described Modi's journey since becoming Gujarat Chief Minister in 2001 as one of "unwavering conviction, perseverance, and commitment to nation-building". "25 years of leadership. 25 years of dedication. 25 years of Seva ka Sankalp," he wrote.

"Since taking oath as the Chief Minister of Gujarat in 2001, Shri Narendra Modi has travelled a remarkable journey -- from serving Gujarat to leading India as Prime Minister," Nathwani said. He also wished Modi "continued strength and success in the service of the nation".

The post was accompanied by a video of Modi waving to crowds, with BJP flags visible in the background.

The SP's rivals were swift to react. AIMIM Uttar Pradesh president Shaukat Ali wrote: "Modi ji ka yaar, Samajwadi Party ka pyaar, yeh rishta kya kehlata hai, samajh sakta hai har aam khaas."

The party and Akhilesh have not responded.

Nathwani, in another post on X, on October 6, had also questioned Akhilesh's detention during the INDIA bloc protest against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar in Delhi and said democratic dialogue is essential to democracy.

"I hope the concerns surrounding the detention of SP National President Shri Akhilesh Yadav ji and other leaders are resolved at the earliest. Peaceful expression and democratic dialogue are an important part of our democracy," he wrote.

Questions over nomination

The post comes amid questions over the SP's decision to nominate him for one of the two Rajya Sabha seats it could win comfortably. The party had sought to project his nomination as part of its attempt to expand its reach beyond its traditional political constituencies and build a connection with the corporate and business community.

Party president Akhilesh Yadav had also defended the choice, arguing that the party needed to engage with the corporate world. Nathwani, a senior corporate executive associated with the Reliance group, was presented as part of that outreach.

But it also raised questions over the SP's PDA (Pichhda, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) politics.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati had attacked the party over the choice, pointing out that the SP had two seats it could win with ease but had chosen candidates that, according to her, did not reflect its PDA claim -- alleging that one seat had gone to a family member and the other to a representative of the business community.

The criticism came as the SP was simultaneously discussing the possibility of fielding a third candidate from the PDA communities. Party leaders had indicated that such a candidate could be put up to underline its commitment to the PDA formulation, even though the party did not have the numbers to ensure a third victory.

After several days of suspense, however, the SP decided against fielding the third candidate.

Nathwani's latest post has now provided the party's rivals with another line of attack. His praise of Modi sits uneasily with the SP's opposition to the BJP and its campaign around the PDA social coalition.

For the SP, the issue is less about Nathwani's personal views than the political optics of his nomination.

The party had sought to use his candidature to signal an outreach to the corporate sector. But with Nathwani publicly praising Modi at a time when the SP is positioning itself as the principal political challenger to the BJP in Uttar Pradesh, the choice risks reopening the very questions the party had hoped to settle through its explanation of the nomination.