Hardeep Singh Puri named the BJP candidate for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat left by L Murugan

State Focus Madhya Pradesh Elections Polity & Governance

Hardeep Singh Puri named the BJP candidate for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat left by L Murugan

28 October 2026

The BJP has named Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh. The seat fell vacant when L Murugan resigned from the Rajya Sabha and the Union Council of Ministers on 14 October; his term was to run until April 2030. The last date for nominations is 2 November, and polling and counting are both set for 12 November. Puri's present Rajya Sabha term, from Uttar Pradesh, ends on 25 November 2026. A 1974-batch Indian Foreign Service officer, he was India's Permanent Representative to the UN from 2009 to 2013. Rajya Sabha members from a State are elected by the elected members of its Legislative Assembly.

Candidate: Hardeep Singh Puri (BJP) Vacated by: L Murugan, resigned 14 October Polling: 12 November Counting: 12 November (same day as polling)

Why it matters for exams: How Rajya Sabha members are elected (Article 80, by elected MLAs) and their six-year term are core polity facts; Puri holds the Petroleum and Natural Gas portfolio.

Kerala PSCUPSCSSC

28 October 2026 Source: Outlook

In plain words

By-election — An election held to fill a seat that falls vacant before the end of its term.

IFS Indian Foreign Service — The all-India diplomatic service of the Ministry of External Affairs.