Union Minister Puri files nomination papers for Rajya Sabha bypoll in MP

Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, the BJP's nominee for the November 12 Rajya Sabha by-election in Madhya Pradesh, filed his nomination papers on Saturday (October 31, 2026) in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and BJP state president Hemant Khandelwal.

Mr. Puri (74) reached the State Assembly building shortly after 11 a.m.. The filing of nominations for the bypoll began on Monday.

The BJP has fielded Mr. Puri from the seat vacated by L. Murugan, who resigned from the Union government and the Upper House earlier this month. Murugan's RS term was due to end in April 2030.

The State Assembly has 230 seats, though its effective strength is 229 since Congress legislator Mukesh Malhotra will not be able to participate in the election following a court ruling.

Madhya Pradesh has 11 Rajya Sabha seats.

On Friday (October 30), the Congress had burnt effigies of Mr. Puri at several places in Bhopal, including Saket, Sant Hirdaram Nagar, Tulsi Nagar and Sarafa Chowk, alleging his name figured in documents and communications linked to U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The Congress has been demanding Mr. Puri's resignation since earlier this year, claiming that his name appears in the "Epstein files" released in the US. Puri has previously denied the charges levelled against him by the Opposition party.