FROM UTTAR PRADESH REJECTION TO MADHYA PRADESH RESCUE: BJP RENEWS HARDEEP PURI’S RAJYA SABHA BID
October 29, 2026
NEW DELHI, OCTOBER 29, 2026: The BJP has nominated Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri for the November 12 Rajya Sabha by-election in Madhya Pradesh, reversing speculation that he could leave the Union cabinet after being denied renomination from Uttar Pradesh.
Puri’s candidature follows the resignation of Union minister of state L. Murugan from the Rajya Sabha on October 14. Murugan stepped down to focus on strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu, leaving a vacancy in the Upper House.
The nomination comes amid renewed political controversy over Puri’s previously disclosed email exchanges and meetings with Jeffrey Epstein, the late American financier and convicted sex offender. Opposition parties have demanded Puri’s resignation and questioned the extent of his interactions with Epstein.
Puri has acknowledged meeting Epstein on several occasions but has denied any wrongdoing, maintaining that his interactions were professional and unrelated to Epstein’s criminal activities.
The BJP had earlier excluded Puri from its list of candidates for the Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, prompting speculation about a possible cabinet reshuffle and a change in his political responsibilities. His nomination from Madhya Pradesh has now strengthened expectations that he will continue in the Union government, subject to the relevant parliamentary and political processes.
Puri expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and BJP president Nitin Nabin for their confidence in him, describing the nomination as an opportunity to serve the party and the public.
Congress leaders, meanwhile, have questioned the circumstances surrounding the decision. Their allegations of political pressure and improper influence remain contested, and Puri has denied wrongdoing.
The development places Puri’s political future back in focus as the BJP prepares for the by-election and the controversy over his association with Epstein continues to fuel opposition criticism.
