Hardeep Puri Wins Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha by poll Unopposed

BHOPAL Union Petroleum Minister and BJP candidate Hardeep Singh Puri was declared elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, after emerging as the only candidate remaining in the contest. Returning Officer Umesh Sharma issued the certificate of election on the final day for withdrawal of nominations, officially confirming Puri's entry into the Upper House of Parliament. The nominations of the two other candidates, Kante Sayanna and Rajkumar Lohani, who was backed by the Opposition Congress, had been rejected during scrutiny. With no other valid candidate in the race, Puri's election was confirmed without a vote. The bypoll had been scheduled for November 12, if polling became necessary. Madhya Pradesh BJP president Hemant Khandelwal collected Puri's certificate of election from the returning officer in the presence of party MLA Rameshwar Sharma. The development marks an unopposed victory for the BJP candidate in the by-election, which was necessitated by a vacancy in the state's representation in the Rajya Sabha. The seat became vacant following the resignation of former Union minister L Murugan from the Upper House last month. His term was originally scheduled to continue until April 2, 2030. The BJP subsequently nominated Puri, a former career diplomat who entered politics, to contest the by-election. Puri's unopposed election concludes the bypoll process without requiring voters to cast ballots. The rejection of the rival nominations during scrutiny had left him as the sole candidate, making a contest unnecessary. The returning officer's declaration on Thursday formally completed the election process for the vacant Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat.