BJP fields Hardeep Singh Puri for Rajya Sabha bypoll in Madhya Pradesh
Synopsis
Dropped from the BJP's UP Rajya Sabha list, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri has been rerouted to Madhya Pradesh for the bypoll created by L. Murugan's resignation. With polling on 12 November and the BJP holding the state assembly, Puri's return to the Upper House looks assured — but the detour itself reveals the fractious seat arithmetic within the party's parliamentary board.
Key Takeaways
BJP named Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its Rajya Sabha bypoll candidate from Madhya Pradesh on 28 October 2026 .
The vacancy arose from the resignation of L.
Murugan , whose term was to run until 2 April 2030 .
Puri, 74 , is the only Sikh minister in PM Narendra Modi 's Cabinet; his current RS term ends in November 2026 .
He was notably absent from the BJP's eight-candidate list for biennial Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh earlier this month.
Polling is set for 12 November 2026 , with the full election process to conclude by 16 November 2026 .
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday, 28 October 2026, named Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypoll in Madhya Pradesh, days after he was conspicuously left out of the party's candidate list for the biennial elections in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP's central election committee formally approved Puri's name for the bypoll.
Why the Madhya Pradesh Seat Fell Vacant
The bypoll was necessitated by the resignation of L. Murugan, whose Rajya Sabha term from Madhya Pradesh was originally scheduled to run until 2 April 2030. The Election Commission of India (ECI) ordered the bypoll to uphold the constitutional requirement of timely representation in the Upper House and to ensure the seat does not remain vacant for an extended period.
Puri's Political Journey to the Upper House
Hardeep Singh Puri, 74, is the only Sikh minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Cabinet. He was previously elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, and his current term expires in November 2026. The BJP has now sent him to the Upper House on two separate occasions. He had also contested a Lok Sabha election in the past, unsuccessfully.
His omission from the UP Rajya Sabha list earlier this month drew attention. The BJP had announced eight candidates for the biennial UP elections — a list that prioritised caste balance and organisational experience and included two women candidates — but Puri was absent, as was another Union Minister, B.L. Verma. The Madhya Pradesh nomination effectively resolves his continuity in the Upper House, ensuring he retains a parliamentary seat required for his Cabinet position.
Election Schedule Fixed by the Commission
The ECI has set a tight timeline for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha bypoll. The last date for filing nominations is 2 November 2026 (Monday), with scrutiny of nominations on 3 November 2026 (Tuesday). Candidates may withdraw their nominations until 5 November 2026 (Thursday). Polling is scheduled for 12 November 2026 between 9:00 am and 4:00 pm, with vote-counting beginning the same day at 5:00 pm. The entire process must be completed by 16 November 2026 (Monday).
What This Means Politically
The development highlights the BJP's internal seat-allocation calculus ahead of a series of Rajya Sabha elections. With the party holding a comfortable majority in the Madhya Pradesh state assembly, Puri's election is widely expected to be a formality. Notably, this is the second consecutive time the party has found an alternate state route for Puri after a UP nomination did not materialise — a pattern that underscores both his seniority and the competing pressures within the party's parliamentary board over Upper House berths.
Point of View
Regional, and organisational claims. Finding him a seat via a bypoll in a BJP-dominated state is an elegant fix, but it raises a structural question: if Cabinet ministers require separate, last-minute arrangements to retain their parliamentary berths, the party's Rajya Sabha planning process may need a more systematic overhaul before the next cycle.
NationPress
28 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is Hardeep Singh Puri contesting the Rajya Sabha bypoll from Madhya Pradesh?
Puri's current Rajya Sabha term from Uttar Pradesh ends in November 2026, and he was not included in the BJP's candidate list for the UP biennial elections. The Madhya Pradesh bypoll, triggered by L. Murugan's resignation, provides an alternative route to retain his seat in the Upper House — and by extension his Cabinet position.
Why did the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat fall vacant?
The seat became vacant after Union Minister L. Murugan resigned from it. His term was originally scheduled to continue until 2 April 2030, and the Election Commission ordered a bypoll to ensure the seat is filled without prolonged vacancy, as required constitutionally.
What is the schedule for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha bypoll?
Nominations close on 2 November 2026, with scrutiny on 3 November and the withdrawal deadline on 5 November. Polling is on 12 November 2026 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, with counting beginning at 5:00 pm the same day. The entire process must conclude by 16 November 2026.
How many times has BJP sent Hardeep Singh Puri to the Rajya Sabha?
The BJP has sent Hardeep Singh Puri to the Rajya Sabha twice. He was previously elected unopposed from Uttar Pradesh and, if elected from Madhya Pradesh, this will mark his third consecutive nomination to the Upper House by the party.
Why was Hardeep Puri left out of the BJP's Uttar Pradesh Rajya Sabha candidate list?
The BJP has not officially explained Puri's omission from the UP list. The party's eight UP nominations were said to balance caste representation and organisational experience; both Puri and fellow Union Minister B.L. Verma, along with all other sitting MPs, were left out of that round of selections.
