BJP names Hardeep Singh Puri for Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha bypoll

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announced Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha bye-election from Madhya Pradesh on Wednesday.

The bypoll, scheduled for November 12, will fill the seat vacated by former Union minister L Murugan, who resigned from the Rajya Sabha. The last date for filing nominations is November 2. 

Puri's nomination comes weeks after the BJP left him out of its list of eight candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh, announced on October 5. His current Rajya Sabha term from Uttar Pradesh is due to end on November 25, 2026.

Hardeep Singh Puri is the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas. He first entered the Rajya Sabha in 2018 and was re-elected in 2020.

Murugan resigned from the Rajya Sabha after expressing his intention to focus on strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu. His resignation created the vacancy in the Madhya Pradesh seat, necessitating the bye-election.

Murugan had been serving as Minister of State in the Union government. His departure from the Upper House ahead of the end of his term led to the Election Commission scheduling a bypoll to fill the vacant seat.