BJP nominates Hardeep Singh Puri for Madhya Pradesh by-poll (Img: IANS)
New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Wednesday announced Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election in Madhya Pradesh. The party’s Central Election Committee approved his nomination for the vacant seat in the Upper House.
In a statement issued from the BJP’s central office on Deen Dayal Upadhyay Marg, the party confirmed Puri’s candidature for the 2026 by-election.
"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 party statement read.
The BJP’s announcement comes as preparations gather pace for the by-election to the lone Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh. The seat became vacant following the resignation of former Union Minister L. Murugan on October 14, 2026.
The Election Commission of India (ECI) announced the by-election schedule on October 22, setting the process in motion to fill the vacancy. Murugan’s Rajya Sabha term was originally scheduled to end on April 2, 2030.
According to the election schedule, the notification for the by-election was issued on October 26. Candidates can file their nominations until November 2, while scrutiny of nomination papers is scheduled for November 3.
The deadline for withdrawing candidature is November 5, after which the final list of candidates will be clear.
Polling for the seat will take place on November 12, from 9 am to 4 pm. The counting of votes is scheduled for the same day at 5 pm.
The Election Commission has stipulated that the entire election process must be completed by November 16.
Puri, a former diplomat who entered politics, currently serves as a Union Cabinet Minister in the central government. His nomination makes him the BJP’s choice for the Madhya Pradesh seat, which has opened up following Murugan’s departure from the Upper House.
The by-election will determine who occupies the seat for the remainder of the term, which was due to run until April 2030.
