Bhopal: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, also the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election, was elected unopposed from Madhya Pradesh on Thursday.
His election became almost certain after the nomination papers of two independent candidates, one of whom was backed by the Congress party, were rejected by the Returning Officer yesterday.
With Puri the only candidate left in the RS fray, his name was cleared today, the last date for withdrawal of nominations.
The certificate of election was received by the party’s state president, Hemant Khandelwal.
Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Mohan Yadav extended his congratulations to the Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Puri on his re-election to the Upper House.
“I would congratulate him on his re-election, also on behalf of BJP National President Nitin Nabin. Since Hardeep Puri Ji was busy in Delhi today, the party’s state president Hemant Khandelwal, along with other party office-bearers, received the election certificate on his behalf,” CM Mohan Yadav told IANS.
“Receiving this gift of election just before Diwali is a matter of great joy for us, and we all share his happiness,” he added.
Notably, the by-election was necessitated after the incumbent Rajya Sabha member from the state, also a Union Minister, L. Murugan, resigned from his ministerial berth as well as his Rajya Sabha membership.
The BJP fielded Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the seat.
While putting in his papers, Murugan had said that he wanted to return to grassroots politics and focus on strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.
Murugan’s original term was slated to end on April 2, 2030, and now Hardeep Puri, the new RS member, will serve the remaining portion of that term.
(IANS)
