BJP fields Hardeep Singh Puri for Rajya Sabha bypoll

Political analysts see the BJP’s decision to nominate Puri as an attempt to avoid giving the impression that the government is acting under pressure

New Delhi: Union petroleum and natural gas minister Hardeep Singh Puri was on Wednesday nominated by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh, paving the way for him to return to the Upper House as his current term from Uttar Pradesh nears end.

The BJP’s Central Election Committee approved Puri’s candidature, the party said in a statement on Wednesday. The nomination comes weeks after the party left him out of its list of eight candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh, raising questions about his political future.

Puri, 74, is currently a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh, with his term set to end on 25 November.

The by-election was necessitated by the resignation of Union minister of state L. Murugan, who stepped down from the Rajya Sabha on 14 October to focus on strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu. His term was due to end on 2 April 2030. Murugan was re-elected on 2 April 2024, with his second term beginning the following day.

Political analysts see the BJP’s decision to nominate Puri as an attempt to avoid giving the impression that the government is acting under pressure.

“In the present context, the government would not want to appear weak,'' said Nishant Kumar, associate professor at the Centre for Political Studies, School of Social Sciences, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).

``The circumstances that led to the resignation of a cabinet minister did not go down well with the government’s supporters and also gave the opposition an opportunity to demand further removals. The BJP would not want to give the impression that it is responding to pressure over the allegations linked to the Epstein files. If it were seen as acting on these demands, the issue could snowball into further pressure tactics by the opposition and be portrayed as an admission of wrongdoing,”

“With the Punjab elections approaching, the BJP may also not want to appear to be penalising a Sikh minister without strong evidence of wrongdoing. Puri has also worked hard during this period of turmoil to diversify India’s energy sources. Recognising that work may have been another consideration behind the decision,” Kumar added.

Polling for the Madhya Pradesh seat is scheduled for 12 November, with counting on the same day. The last date for filing nominations is 2 November.

If elected, Puri will serve the remainder of Murugan’s term until 2 April 2030, giving him about three years and five months in the Upper House. His tenure would extend roughly a year beyond the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

The BJP holds a majority in the Madhya Pradesh assembly, whose elected members vote to choose Rajya Sabha representatives, giving its candidate an advantage in the by-election.

Puri is a former diploma and his nomination offers him a route to retain his parliamentary membership beyond the end of his current Rajya Sabha term.

Rajya Sabha members serve six-year terms, compared with the Lok Sabha’s five-year term, unless the lower house is dissolved earlier.

About the Author

Dhirendra Kumar is a seasoned policy reporter with about 20 years of experience in deep, on-ground reporting across key economic and governance sectors. His work spans finance, public expenditure, disinvestment, public sector enterprises, textiles, trade, consumer affairs, and agriculture, with a strong focus on uncovering structural policy shifts and their real-world impact.<br><br>Kumar has been awarded the Chaudhary Charan Singh Award for Excellence in Journalism in Agricultural Research and Development, recognising his contribution to reporting on critical issues in the farm sector. He has also been a recipient of a fellowship in international trade from the National Press Foundation, which has further strengthened his coverage of global trade dynamics and their implications for India.<br><br>Kumar is known for breaking complex policy developments into clear, accessible stories. His reporting focuses on uncovering under-reported trends, explaining policy shifts, and helping readers stay informed about developments that shape India’s economic landscape.