- News Updates
- PSU Watch
- Defence News
- Policy Watch
- हिन्दी न्यूज़
- Jobs Watch
- States News
- Event News
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday nominated Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh, ending weeks of uncertainty over his parliamentary future after the party excluded him from its list of candidates for the Upper House elections in Uttar Pradesh.
The BJP's Central Election Committee approved Puri's candidature for the November 12 bypoll, which was necessitated by the resignation of former Union Minister L Murugan earlier this month. The seat was originally due to remain occupied until April 2, 2030.
Follow The PSUWatch Channel on WhatsApp
Puri, 74, currently represents Uttar Pradesh in the Rajya Sabha, with his term scheduled to expire on November 25. His omission from the BJP's October 5 list of eight candidates from Uttar Pradesh had triggered speculation about his future in the Union Cabinet, particularly amid reports of a possible ministerial reshuffle.
His nomination from Madhya Pradesh now provides a route for his continued membership of Parliament and removes the immediate uncertainty arising from the approaching expiry of his Rajya Sabha term.
The vacancy arose after Murugan resigned from the Rajya Sabha and the Union Council of Ministers to concentrate on strengthening the BJP's organisation in Tamil Nadu.
Murugan had been elected to the Upper House from Madhya Pradesh in April 2024, and his term was scheduled to continue until April 2030.
The BJP has a commanding majority in the 230-member Madhya Pradesh Assembly, with 164 legislators, compared with 65 from the Congress and one from the Bharat Adivasi Party. Given this numerical advantage, the party is well placed to retain the vacant Rajya Sabha seat.
Puri's renomination also comes amid criticism from opposition parties over his past interactions with convicted American sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.
Documents released in the United States have brought renewed attention to email exchanges and meetings involving Puri and Epstein. Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have questioned these interactions.
Puri has maintained that his communications were limited and did not involve criminal wrongdoing. The BJP has rejected suggestions of impropriety, arguing that the exchanges have been misrepresented for political purposes.
The disclosure of communications does not, by itself, establish involvement in Epstein's criminal activities. Nevertheless, the controversy has become part of the political debate surrounding Puri's continuation in the government.
A former Indian Foreign Service officer, Puri served as India's Permanent Representative to the United Nations between 2009 and 2013 before entering electoral politics.
He first entered the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh in January 2018 and subsequently held several ministerial responsibilities, including Housing and Urban Affairs, Civil Aviation, and Commerce and Industry.
In the 2019 Lok Sabha elections, he unsuccessfully contested the Amritsar constituency against Congress candidate Gurjeet Singh Aujla.
Puri has held the Petroleum and Natural Gas portfolio since 2021 and currently oversees India's oil and gas sector at a time of heightened geopolitical uncertainty, disruptions to global energy supplies and continuing questions over India's crude oil sourcing strategy.
According to the Election Commission's announced schedule, the last date for filing nominations is November 2, followed by scrutiny on November 3. Candidates can withdraw their nominations until November 5.
Polling, if required, will take place on November 12 between 9 am and 4 pm, with counting scheduled for 5 pm the same day. The election process is to be completed before November 16.
Puri's nomination is politically significant because it follows the BJP's decision not to field him again from Uttar Pradesh, where the party has opted for new candidates ahead of the 2027 Assembly elections.
Follow PSU Watch on LinkedIN
While the Madhya Pradesh nomination indicates that the BJP intends to retain Puri in Parliament, his continuation in the Union Cabinet remains a separate decision within the Prime Minister's authority.
For now, the party's decision has settled the immediate question of Puri's Rajya Sabha candidature, with the November 12 by-election expected to formalise his move from Uttar Pradesh to Madhya Pradesh.
(PSU Watch is India's Business News centre that places the spotlight on PSUs, Bureaucracy, Defence and Public Policy. 👉 Click to join our channel now: PSUWatch WhatsApp Channel. Prefer LinkedIn? Follow PSU Watch on LinkedIN. Click to stay connected on Twitter here and stay updated)
