Politics
BJP Picks Hardeep Singh Puri for Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha By-Election
Published On Wed, 28 Oct 2026
Rishabh Mehra
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday named Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the 2026 Rajya Sabha by-election in Madhya Pradesh. The party’s Central Election Committee approved his nomination, according to an official statement released from the BJP headquarters on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg. The by-election is being held to fill the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by former Union Minister L. Murugan, who resigned on October 14, 2026. Murugan’s term in the Upper House was originally scheduled to end on April 2, 2030.
The Election Commission of India announced the by-election schedule on October 22. The official notification was issued on October 26, while November 2 has been set as the deadline for filing nomination papers. The scrutiny of nominations will take place on November 3, and candidates can withdraw their nominations until November 5.
Polling is scheduled for November 12, from 9 am to 4 pm, with counting set to begin at 5 pm on the same day. The Election Commission has stated that the entire electoral process must be completed by November 16. Puri, a former diplomat who later entered politics, currently serves as a Union Cabinet Minister in the central government.
Disclaimer: This image is taken from ANI.
