Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri Nominated for Rajya Sabha, Faces Criticism from Congress

New Delhi, October 29 (Daily Kiran) : In New Delhi, October 29, Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri received congratulations from former Union Minister L. Murugan following his nomination as the Bharatiya Janata Party’s candidate for the Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh. Murugan met with Puri on Thursday to extend his best wishes. Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha MP Rajneesh Aggarwal welcomed Puri’s candidacy while accusing Congress of harboring an anti-Sikh stance.

Puri shared details of his meeting with Murugan on the social media platform X, stating, “My friend and party colleague Thiru L. Murugan visited me today and extended his heartfelt wishes on my nomination as the BJP candidate for the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh.” He expressed eagerness to work with Murugan to realize Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s vision of a strong and self-reliant India.

This meeting came shortly after the BJP announced Puri’s candidacy for the Rajya Sabha by-election, which became vacant following Murugan’s resignation. His term was originally set to last until April 2, 2030. Murugan now aims to strengthen the BJP’s presence in Tamil Nadu.

Rajneesh Aggarwal criticized Congress during discussions, asserting that Puri’s nomination should be welcomed as it aligns with democratic and constitutional principles. He questioned the objections raised by Congress, stating, “There are no facts, no truths, and no arguments. They oppose simply because he is Sikh.”

Aggarwal accused Congress of making derogatory remarks against Puri due to his Sikh background, claiming they are spreading misinformation. He labeled this behavior as intolerable, objectionable, undemocratic, and illegal.

Demanding an apology from Congress, the BJP MP emphasized that Puri was nominated in accordance with the law and the Constitution. He also predicted that the Sikh community would respond to Congress in the upcoming Punjab assembly elections.

At 74, Hardeep Singh Puri is the only Sikh minister in Prime Minister Modi’s cabinet. He was previously elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Uttar Pradesh, with his current term set to expire in November. The BJP has sent him to the Rajya Sabha twice, although he faced challenges in his bid for a Lok Sabha seat.

Earlier this month, the BJP announced eight candidates for the biennial Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh, aiming to balance ethnic representation and organizational experience. However, Puri’s name was notably absent from this list, as were other current Rajya Sabha members like Minister B.L. Verma.

The BJP’s central election committee has approved Puri’s nomination for the Rajya Sabha by-election, as declared by the Election Commission.