Hardeep Puri accepts L Murugan's wishes after Rajya Sabha nomination from MP
Synopsis
Dropped from the BJP's Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha list, Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has been rerouted to Madhya Pradesh via a seat vacated by L Murugan — who resigned early to focus on Tamil Nadu. The reshuffle of upper-house nominations reflects the BJP's balancing act between caste, state, and Cabinet continuity.
Key Takeaways
Hardeep Singh Puri , 74 , received L.
Murugan 's courtesy visit in New Delhi on 29 October 2026 , a day after his BJP Rajya Sabha nomination from Madhya Pradesh .
The seat opened after Murugan resigned ahead of his term end date of 2 April 2030 to strengthen the BJP in Tamil Nadu .
Puri was notably absent from the BJP's earlier list of eight Rajya Sabha candidates from Uttar Pradesh .
The Election Commission of India announced a bypoll; the BJP central election committee has approved Puri's candidature.
Puri is the only Sikh minister in PM Narendra Modi 's Cabinet and has been sent to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP twice before.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Thursday, 29 October 2026, received former Minister of State L. Murugan at his residence in New Delhi, a day after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) formally named Puri as its Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh. The courtesy visit follows Murugan's own resignation from the Rajya Sabha seat — whose term was originally scheduled to run until 2 April 2030 — to focus on strengthening the party in Tamil Nadu.
What Puri Said on X
Sharing details of the meeting on social media platform X, Puri wrote: 'My friend and fellow party Karyakarta, Thiru@LMuruganJi, very kindly visited me today to convey his warm wishes on my nomination as BJP's Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh.' He added: 'I look forward to working with him to realise the vision of PM @narendramodiJi for a stronger and Aatmanirbhar #ViksitBharat.'
How Puri Landed the Madhya Pradesh Seat
Puri's path to the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat was not straightforward. Earlier this month, the BJP announced eight candidates for biennial Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, and Puri — who had previously been elected unopposed to the upper house from that state — was conspicuously absent from the list. Fellow Union Minister B.L. Verma and other sitting MPs were also dropped from the Uttar Pradesh nominations. The party's central election committee subsequently approved Puri's name for the bypoll in Madhya Pradesh, announced by the Election Commission of India (ECI) to fill the vacancy created by Murugan's departure.
Puri's Parliamentary Profile
At 74, Puri is the only Sikh minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet and has been sent to the Rajya Sabha by the BJP on two occasions. His current Rajya Sabha term expires in November. He had also previously contested, albeit unsuccessfully, a Lok Sabha election. The Madhya Pradesh nomination would ensure continuity in his Cabinet role without a break in his parliamentary membership.
Murugan's Next Move
Murugan, who held the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs as a Minister of State, vacated his seat ahead of schedule to focus on organisational work for the BJP in Tamil Nadu — a state where the party has struggled to build an independent electoral base. His early exit created the vacancy that Puri is now set to fill.
What Comes Next
The bypoll for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat is expected to be held in the near term, with the BJP's central election committee having already cleared Puri's candidature. Given the party's comfortable majority in the Madhya Pradesh assembly, Puri is widely expected to secure the seat unopposed. His elevation cements the party's intent to retain him in the Cabinet through the current term.
Point of View
And no Cabinet incumbent — however senior — is insulated from it. Puri's omission from the UP list, then rapid reinstatement via MP, signals the party's willingness to redeploy rather than retire loyalists. Meanwhile, Murugan's early exit to focus on Tamil Nadu underlines the BJP's persistent anxiety about its southern footprint — a challenge that personnel moves alone cannot resolve.
NationPress
29 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why was Hardeep Puri nominated for Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh instead of Uttar Pradesh?
Puri was dropped from the BJP's list of eight candidates for Uttar Pradesh's biennial Rajya Sabha elections, along with Union Minister B.L. Verma and other sitting MPs. The party then nominated him for the Madhya Pradesh bypoll created by L. Murugan's resignation, ensuring his continued parliamentary membership before his current term expires in November.
Why did L Murugan resign from his Rajya Sabha seat early?
L. Murugan, whose term was originally scheduled to continue until 2 April 2030, resigned to focus on strengthening the BJP's organisational base in Tamil Nadu. His departure created the vacancy that the Election Commission of India subsequently announced a bypoll to fill.
Who is Hardeep Singh Puri?
Hardeep Singh Puri is the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas and the only Sikh minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet. Aged 74, he has been elected to the Rajya Sabha twice by the BJP and previously contested, unsuccessfully, a Lok Sabha election.
When does Hardeep Puri's current Rajya Sabha term end?
Puri's current Rajya Sabha term, from Uttar Pradesh, ends in November 2026. His nomination for the Madhya Pradesh bypoll is intended to ensure there is no gap in his parliamentary status.
What did Puri post on X after Murugan's visit?
Puri shared on X that Murugan 'very kindly visited me today to convey his warm wishes on my nomination as BJP's Rajya Sabha candidate from Madhya Pradesh,' and expressed his intent to work with Murugan towards PM Modi's vision of a 'stronger and Aatmanirbhar ViksitBharat.'
