Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday filed his nomination papers as the BJP candidate for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election in Madhya Pradesh, even as police detained several Congress leaders ahead of planned protests against his candidature.
Anticipating protests against Puri’s candidature, Bhopal police detained several Congress leaders ahead of the nomination filing.
Earlier reporting noted: As part of preparations for the nomination process, minister of state Krishna Gaur signed the consent letter as a proposer for Hardeep Singh Puri. We will continue protesting against Puri,” MP Congress media cell co-ordinator Abhinav Barolia said, adding that party workers had also burnt effigies of the Union Minister across Bhopal on Friday. Hours before Puri arrived in Bhopal on Friday evening, state Congress president Jitu Patwari questioned the BJP’s decision to field him, alleging that a Dalit leader (Murugan) was asked to resign to accommodate the Union Minister. Earlier reporting noted: Hardeep Puri files nomination for Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh Union minister of petroleum and natural gas Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday filed his nomination for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh.
Youth Congress district president Amit Khatri was taken to Ashbagh police station, while state vice-president Abhishek Parmar and district president Ankit Dubey were detained at Habibganj police station. “The BJP is throttling dissent. The BJP’s Central Election Committee had announced Puri as its nominee on October 28 for the seat vacated by the resignation of Union Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs L Murugan, whose term was due to end in April 2030.
The 74-year-old leader reached the state Assembly building shortly after 11 am, along with Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and BJP state president Hemant Khandelwal under tight security. Earlier reporting noted: The seat fell vacant after Union minister L Murugan resigned from the Rajya Sabha on October 13.
“The Congress’s fight is about transparency, accountability and the political dignity of Madhya Pradesh, and not about making baseless allegations against any individual,” he said.
