The Bharatiya Janata Party has nominated Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha bye-election in Madhya Pradesh. The bye-poll is scheduled for 12 November 2026, following the resignation of L. Murugan from the Upper House and his ministerial post earlier in October. Based on the current composition of the Madhya Pradesh Assembly, Puri is expected to win the seat unopposed. His present Rajya Sabha term, representing Uttar Pradesh, concludes on 25 November 2026.
According to Scroll, Hardeep Singh Puri’s nomination comes after he was not included among the BJP candidates for the recent Rajya Sabha polls in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal. Puri, who has served as a Rajya Sabha member since January 2018, is not a member of the Lok Sabha, and ministers are required to be members of either House within six months to retain their Cabinet positions.
As reported by The Indian Express, the BJP’s central election committee approved Puri’s candidature, and the announcement was made on 28 October 2026. The party’s decision follows the resignation of L. Murugan, whose Rajya Sabha term was originally set to end in April 2030. Puri, aged 74, currently serves as the Union Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas.
As highlighted by The Hindu, L. Murugan resigned from both the Council of Ministers and his Rajya Sabha seat on 13 October 2026, expressing his intention to return to Tamil Nadu to strengthen the BJP’s presence in the state ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. The BJP’s strength in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly ensures that the party is positioned to retain the vacated seat.
“I have written a letter to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, expressing my desire to go to Tamil Nadu. I want to strengthen my party in the state and prepare the ground for the 2029 elections,” L. Murugan stated regarding his resignation.
Recent coverage revealed that Puri’s name has been discussed in the context of the “Epstein files,” which refer to documents released by the United States Department of Justice involving American financier Jeffrey Epstein. Email exchanges between Puri and Epstein, dating back to June 2014, were among the documents released in January 2026. Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have raised questions about these interactions.
Puri has maintained that his communications with Epstein were limited and unrelated to any criminal activity as details emerged. The BJP has stated that all meetings and emails were publicly available and that references to the Epstein files have been misinterpreted for political purposes.
“The references to the Epstein files were misinterpreted and had been used for political theatre. All emails and meetings were publicly available and there was nothing secret or improper about them,” the BJP quoted Puri as saying in February.
In the context of the Rajya Sabha bye-poll, reporting indicated that Puri’s nomination is expected to proceed without contest, given the BJP’s legislative majority in Madhya Pradesh. The bypoll is being closely watched as it coincides with broader political developments, including ongoing Cabinet changes and preparations for upcoming elections in several states.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.