Hardeep Singh Puri | New Delhi, Oct. 28: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has nominated Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election in Madhya Pradesh.
The by-election is scheduled for November 12, 2026. It will fill the vacancy created by the resignation of BJP leader and former Union Minister of State L. Murugan.
The BJP’s Central Election Committee approved Puri’s candidature, the party announced on Wednesday. Puri, 74, currently represents Uttar Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha. His present term is due to end on November 25.
Hardeep Singh Puri Nomination Fuels Cabinet Reshuffle Speculation
Murugan resigned from the Rajya Sabha earlier this month, although his term was scheduled to continue until April 2030. He said he wanted to focus on strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
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Puri’s nomination follows the BJP’s decision not to renominate him from Uttar Pradesh. The party had announced eight candidates for the state’s Rajya Sabha elections earlier this month without including his name.
The development had raised questions about Puri’s political future and prompted speculation about a possible Union Cabinet reshuffle. However, the BJP has not announced any cabinet changes alongside his nomination.
The Madhya Pradesh Assembly will elect the Rajya Sabha member. The BJP is expected to have an advantage because it holds a majority in the state Assembly.
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Puri currently heads the Union Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas. His nomination is expected to help him retain his membership in the Upper House beyond the expiry of his current term, subject to the by-election result.
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