- Hardeep Singh Puri has been named as the BJP's candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bypolls from Madhya Pradesh.
- The BJP earlier did not nominate him from Uttar Pradesh, fuelling speculations that he might not get another RS term.
- Hardeep Singh Puri became the opposition's target after his interactions with Jeffrey Epstein came to the fore earlier this year.
Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas, Hardeep Singh Puri, on Wednesday was named the BJP's nominee for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh. Puri was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, but was not named as a candidate from the state earlier this month. The Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha by-election is scheduled for November 12. His tenure as the Rajya Sabha MP from Uttar Pradesh will end on November 25.
"The Central Election Committee of the Bharatiya Janata Party has given its approval to the name for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bye-election 2026 in Madhya Pradesh: Hardeep Singh Puri," the BJP statement read.
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The lone Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh fell vacant after Union Minister of State for parliamentary affairs and information and broadcasting, L Murugan, resigned from the Union Council of Ministers and his Rajya Sabha seat on October 13, 2026.
Hardeep Puri's way to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh is expected to be smooth sailing as the BJP currently rules the state, with Members of the Legislative Assembly electing Rajya Sabha members.
MP Rajya Sabha Election Schedule:
The Commission has fixed a tight schedule for the by-election. The last date for filing nominations is November 2 (Monday), followed by scrutiny of nominations on November 3 (Tuesday). Candidates can withdraw their nominations till November 5, 2026 (Thursday). Polling will be held on November 12 from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm, with counting of votes beginning the same day at 5:00 pm.
Hardeep Puri's UP Snub
The BJP earlier this month announced a list of eight candidates for the biennial Rajya Sabha election in Uttar Pradesh. What caught attention was the absence of Hardeep Singh Puri's name from the candidate list, fuelling speculations that the Union Minister might not get another term as Rajya Sabha MP.
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The BJP sought to strike a balance between caste representation and organisational experience, with two women candidates figuring in the list. Besides Puri, another Union Minister, BL Verma, and all other sitting MPs have also been left out of the nominations.
Hardeep Puri's Epstein Files Controversy
Puri made headlines earlier this year after his name was cropped up in the infamous Epstein files. A photo of him with the sex offender also went viral a few days back, in which he can be seen sitting with Jeffrey Epstein in a room.
The oil minister, however, clarified his meetings and email exchanges with Epstein, saying that the interactions with the sex offender were part of delegation-level meetings through the International Peace Institute (IPI), where he was involved after retiring from Indian diplomatic services. Puri also denied any connection with Epstein's criminal activities.