SP nominee Dhanraj Nathwani lauds Modi, draws party backlash

Samajwadi Party’s Rajya Sabha nominee Dhanraj Nathwani praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, prompting criticism from within the party and accusations of a Gujarat‑Saifai alliance. ## What Happened Dhanraj was announced as the SP candidate on 30 September, filed his nomination the same day and had his papers cleared on 7 October, leaving him set to win the Uttar Pradesh seat unopposed. On 7 October he posted a long message on X congratulating Modi on 25 years of public service, quoting Modi’s rise from Gujarat chief minister in 2001 to Prime Minister in 2014. ## Reaction Party insiders said the post put them in an uncomfortable spot, noting that the SP opposes the BJP while its own nominee was praising the Prime Minister. A senior SP leader, speaking on condition of anonymity, said core supporters were disappointed and highlighted the Nathwani family’s closeness to Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah. AIMIM spokesperson Shadab Chauhan seized on the episode, questioning whether the SP was aligning with Gujarat and asking Muslim MPs if they also praised Modi. The BJP turned the post into a boost for Modi, with Uttar Pradesh spokesperson Rakesh Tripathi saying Nathwani spoke “from the heart” and that Modi’s 25‑year tenure has brought “revolutionary changes” for the poor. ## Context The Nathwani family, originally from Gujarat, have long ties to the BJP; Parimal Nathwani won three Rajya Sabha seats from Jharkhand as an Independent with BJP support and served as vice‑president of the Gujarat Cricket Association while Amit Shah and Narendra Modi were its presidents. Dhanraj took over the GCA presidency from Shah in 2022 and the duo have been linked to the Reliance Group.