Hardeep Singh Puri Files Rajya Sabha Nomination from Madhya Pradesh, Voting Scheduled for November 12

October 31, 2026

Bhopal: Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday filed his nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh. He was accompanied by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and state BJP president Hemant Khandelwal.

Puri reached the Madhya Pradesh Assembly premises around 11.30 am to complete the nomination formalities. Before filing his papers, he paid obeisance at a gurdwara.

The BJP had announced Puri as its candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat on October 28. The seat fell vacant after Union Minister L Murugan resigned from the Upper House on October 13, even though his term was scheduled to continue until April 2030.

State minister Krishna Gaur had signed as the proposer for Puri’s nomination on Friday at the BJP office.

Rajya Sabha Bypoll Scheduled for November 12

Voting for the by-election will take place on November 12. The contest is being closely watched as the BJP looks to retain the seat with its comfortable majority in the Madhya Pradesh Assembly.

The state Assembly has 230 members, and the normal quota required to win a Rajya Sabha seat is 116 votes. However, Congress MLA Mukesh Malhotra will not be able to participate in the voting, reducing the effective strength of the Assembly to 229. The exact winning quota will be determined according to the applicable rules.

The position of Bina MLA Nirmala Sapre is also being watched closely, as she has been associated with both parties in different contexts.

Independent Aspirant Also Seeks Support from MLAs

Meanwhile, Haripal Bihare, a guest faculty member from Betul, is reportedly trying to gather support from MLAs to contest the election. He has claimed that members of both the BJP and Congress have assured him of their support.

Ahead of Puri’s nomination, he also visited Karuna Dham Ashram in Bhopal and sought the blessings of Gurudev Sudesh Shandilya Maharaj.

Meanwhile, police took preventive action against several Youth Congress leaders in Bhopal amid expectations of protests ahead of the nomination.

With the BJP holding a comfortable majority in the Assembly, Puri is well placed to secure the Rajya Sabha seat. The November 12 by-election will formally decide the contest.