Rajendra Singh Solanki (born 1955) is an Indian politician from Uttar Pradesh. A veteran leader formerly with the Indian National Congress, he rose to prominence as a youth leader under the mentorship of Sanjay Gandhi and N. D. Tiwari. He served one term as a Member of the Legislative Assembly (MLA) from the Sikandrabad constituency and has held several high-ranking positions within the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee. In 2024, he joined the Bahujan Samaj Party to contest the Lok Sabha elections from Gautam Buddha Nagar.
Early life and education Solanki was born in 1950 in village Laduki, Bulandshahr district, Uttar Pradesh, to Hira Singh, a farmer. He began his leadership journey in student politics, serving as the President of the Student Union at NREC College, Khurja. He holds a post-graduate degree.
Political career Youth leadership A founding member of the National Students' Union of India (NSUI), Solanki was appointed President of the Uttar Pradesh Youth Congress in 1976. During this period, he was regarded as a protégé of former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi and worked closely with Sanjay Gandhi and N. D. Tiwari.
Legislative and party roles Solanki was elected as the MLA for the Sikandrabad constituency in 1985. Within the Congress organizational structure, He served two terms as the Vice President of the Uttar Pradesh Congress Committee (UPCC) and held the positions of General Secretary of the UPCC and President of the Uttar Pradesh Yuvak Mangal Dal.
In 2007, Solanki briefly joined the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) at the behest of Kalyan Singh to contest the state assembly elections from Sikandrabad, before eventually returning to the Congress party.
2024 General Elections In March 2024, after nearly 50 years with the Indian National Congress, Solanki joined the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP). He contested the 2024 Indian general election from the Gautam Buddha Nagar Lok Sabha constituency, securing 2,51,615 votes.
Political activism and imprisonment During the late 1970s, Solanki was imprisoned multiple times in Lucknow, Dehradun, and Bareilly jails for his political activism, specifically for protesting the arrest of Indira Gandhi and participating in movements alongside Sanjay Gandhi.
Influence Solanki has been regarded as an influential leader in the Bulandshahr and Gautam Buddha Nagar regions, particularly among rural and agrarian communities.
Electoral history Year Election Constituency Party Votes % Opponent Opponent party Opponent votes % Result Margin 1985 Assembly Sikandrabad INC 35,195 49.95 Shah Mal Lok Dal 17,255 24.49 Won 17,940 1991 Assembly Sikandrabad INC 28,383 28.22 Narendra Bhati Janata Dal 43,835 43.59 Lost −15,452 2007 Assembly Sikandrabad BJP 30,630 21.71 Ved Ram Bhati BSP 48,897 34.37 Lost −18,267 2024 Lok Sabha Gautam Buddh Nagar BSP 251,615 17.51 Dr. Mahesh Sharma BJP 857,829 59.69 Lost −606,214
Personal life He is married to Swapna Solanki; the couple has three children. He resides in Defence Colony, New Delhi.
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