BJP field Hardeep Puri as candidate for Rajya Sabha bypoll in Madhya Pradesh
PTC News Desk: The BJP on Wednesday announced Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election in Madhya Pradesh, ending days of uncertainty over his political future.
In a statement, the party said its Central Election Committee had approved Puri’s name for the bypoll.
The election is being held for a single Rajya Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh that became vacant after former Union Minister L Murugan resigned.
Puri, the only Sikh minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s cabinet, was earlier elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh. His current term ends in November. However, his name was missing from the BJP’s recently announced list of eight candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh.
BJP names Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for Rajya Sabha bypoll from Madhya Pradesh https://t.co/9BNT2Ke5ND
— ANI (@ANI) October 28, 2026
The 74-year-old Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas has been sent to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP twice. He also contested the Lok Sabha Elections from Amritsar in 2019 but lost to Congress leader Gurjeet Singh Aujla by around one lakh votes.
Rajya Sabha election schedule
The last date for filing nominations is November 2, while scrutiny of nomination papers will take place on November 3. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until November 5.
Voting will be held on November 12 from 9 am to 4 pm. The counting of votes will begin at 5 pm on the same day.
Hardeep Puri's political and diplomatic career
Before entering politics, Puri served as an Indian Foreign Service diplomat. He was India’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations from 2009 to 2013.
He has held several senior positions in the Modi government since 2018. He became Union Minister for Housing and Urban Affairs after M Venkaiah Naidu was elected Vice President.
Following the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, Puri served as Minister of State for Commerce and Industry and held independent charge of the Civil Aviation Ministry.
In 2021, he became the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas while continuing to lead the Housing and Urban Affairs Ministry.
- PTC NEWS
