Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh): Union Minister and BJP's Rajya Sabha candidate Hardeep Singh Puri filed his nomination papers in Bhopal on Saturday in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and other senior party leaders. The by-election is being held to fill the seat vacated by Union Minister L Murugan's resignation.
Puri filed his nomination before the Returning Officer at the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly at around 11:30 am. He was accompanied by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav, BJP State President Hemant Khandelwal, Deputy Chief Minister Jagdish Devda, Panchayat and Rural Development Minister Prahlad Patel and several other party leaders.
Before heading to the Assembly, Puri visited a gurudwara and offered prayers. He also visited Karuna Dham Ashram, where he met Peethadhishwar Gurudev Sudesh Shandilya Maharaj and sought his blessings. BJP State General Secretary Rahul Kothari, MLA Bhagwandas Sabnani and other party workers were also present during the visit.
Puri arrived in Bhopal on Friday night. The BJP's Central Election Committee had announced his candidature for the Rajya Sabha seat on October 28.
The seat fell vacant after Union Minister Dr L Murugan resigned from the Rajya Sabha on October 13. Murugan's term was scheduled to continue until April 2030. His resignation led to the by-election to fill the vacant seat in Madhya Pradesh.
Meanwhile, BJP MLA Krishna Gaur signed a consent letter at the party office on Friday, agreeing to act as a proposer for Puri's nomination.
How Many Votes Are Needed to Win the Rajya Sabha Seat?
The Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly has 230 members. However, Congress MLA Mukesh Malhotra will not be able to participate in the voting. Therefore, the effective strength of the Assembly for this election will be 229 members.
The number of votes required to win the seat will be determined according to the prescribed election rules.
The position of Bina MLA Nirmala Sapre is also important in the election. She identifies herself as a Congress member but has also been seen attending BJP programmes.
Her voting status remains unclear due to the ongoing defection-related matter. The final voting strength of both parties will become clearer once her position is established.
