New Delhi: The Sarvajan Sanatan Party, led by retired IPS officer and former interim CBI Director M Nageshwar Rao, has begun preparations for the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections by inviting applications from prospective candidates for all 403 constituencies in the state.
Rao, who serves as the party’s national president, announced the first phase of the candidate-selection exercise. The party is seeking preliminary applications from individuals interested in contesting the upcoming Assembly polls.
The development marks the party’s entry into Uttar Pradesh’s electoral contest, where it intends to field candidates across the state.
Candidate Selection to Take Place in Two Phases
According to Rao, the current application process is intended only for preliminary screening. Applicants who qualify at this stage will be asked to submit detailed information and supporting documents during the second phase.
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Explaining the purpose of the exercise, Rao said:
“This application is solely for preliminary screening in the first phase. Applicants found preliminarily suitable will be asked to provide detailed information and the required documents in the second phase.”
He also clarified that submitting an application would not guarantee a party ticket. The final selection would rest with the party’s authorised leadership.
The party has laid down the following eligibility conditions for prospective candidates:
- Indian citizenship: Applicants must be citizens of India.
- Uttar Pradesh voter registration: Their names must appear on the electoral roll of an Assembly constituency in Uttar Pradesh.
- Minimum age: They must have attained 25 years of age by the date of scrutiny of nomination papers.
- Ideological commitment: Applicants must believe in the Sarvajan Sanatan Party’s ideology, core objectives and policies, and be willing to work in accordance with them.
The party has also clarified that preliminary applications do not create any entitlement to receive its election ticket.
Rao Says He Wants to Move Beyond Identity-Based Politics
Rao’s entry into electoral politics comes with his stated emphasis on a political approach rooted in India’s civilisational heritage, constitutional democracy and public welfare.
He joined the Sarvajan Sanatan Party as its national president at Kashi in Varanasi, on the banks of the Ganga, nearly a month before the announcement of the candidate-selection exercise.
Explaining his political outlook, Rao said Bharat needs to move beyond divisive politics and rediscover a shared national purpose.
He stated:
“The alternative is not another form of identity politics, but a politics rooted in Bharat’s civilisational ethos, constitutional democracy, and the welfare and dignity of every citizen.”
Describing the party’s broader vision, he said it seeks to build a country that is “modern in outlook, rooted in civilisation and united in purpose.”
He further elaborated:
“We do not seek to recreate the past. We seek to take the best of what Bharat has inherited, renew it for the present, enrich it through knowledge and innovation, and transmit it strengthened to future generations.”
Who Is M Nageshwar Rao?
M Nageshwar Rao is a retired 1986-batch Indian Police Service officer of the Odisha cadre. He is known for his tenure in the Central Bureau of Investigation, where he served as Additional Director and twice held interim charge of the agency’s Director.
Some key points about his career:
- CBI assignment: Joined the CBI as Joint Director in 2016 and was subsequently promoted to Additional Director.
- Interim CBI Director: He was given interim charge of the agency in October 2018 after the removal of Alok Verma. He again held the responsibility in January 2019.
- Subsequent posting: In July 2019, he was moved out of the CBI and appointed Director General of Fire Services, Civil Defence and Home Guards.
- Retirement: He superannuated from service on July 31, 2020.
With the Sarvajan Sanatan Party now seeking applicants across Uttar Pradesh’s 403 Assembly constituencies, Rao is preparing to translate his political vision into an electoral campaign ahead of the 2027 polls.
