Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on Saturday filed his nomination papers for the upcoming Rajya Sabha by-election from Madhya Pradesh. The BJP leader submitted his candidature in Bhopal in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and senior party leaders.

Puri is contesting the bypoll as the BJP candidate for the single Rajya Sabha seat that became vacant following the resignation of former Union Minister L Murugan.

The nomination process took place at the Madhya Pradesh Legislative Assembly building, where BJP state president Hemant Khandelwal and other senior leaders were also present.

BJP announced Puri’s candidature on October 28

The BJP’s Central Election Committee announced Puri as its candidate for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha by-election on October 28.

The decision came after the party released its list of candidates for the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections in Uttar Pradesh without including Puri’s name. His existing term as a Rajya Sabha member from Uttar Pradesh is due to end in November 2026.

Puri, 74, currently serves as the Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas. He was first nominated to the Rajya Sabha in January 2018 and was re-elected in 2020.

Why the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha seat fell vacant

The by-election has been necessitated by the resignation of L Murugan from the Rajya Sabha.

Murugan resigned from the Upper House on October 13, 2026, even though his term was scheduled to continue until April 2, 2030. His resignation created a vacancy in Madhya Pradesh, prompting the Election Commission to announce a by-election.

Murugan had expressed his intention to focus on strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu.

Rajya Sabha bypoll schedule

The Election Commission has scheduled voting for the Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha by-election on November 12, 2026.

The important dates are:

• Last date for filing nominations: November 2
• Scrutiny of nomination papers: November 3
• Last date for withdrawal: November 5
• Date of polling: November 12
• Counting of votes: November 12, from 5 pm

Polling will take place between 9 am and 4 pm, with counting scheduled to begin at 5 pm on the same day. The entire election process is scheduled to be completed before November 16.

The Opposition INDIA bloc has begun its public impeachment proceedings against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar at the residence of Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge in New Delhi. Several prominent Opposition leaders, including Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi, are present at the programme.

The event is being conducted as a symbolic protest against Gyanesh Kumar over allegations of irregularities in the electoral process and the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls.

Former Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar is presiding over the proceedings, while Mallikarjun Kharge is leading the initiative by moving the motion against the Chief Election Commissioner. Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to deliver the concluding remarks.

The programme was organised at Kharge’s residence at 10, Rajaji Marg, after the Opposition’s original schedule was disrupted by rainfall in Delhi. The event, initially planned for Friday, was postponed to Saturday.

Why the INDIA bloc organised the public impeachment

The Opposition has been demanding Gyanesh Kumar’s resignation, raising concerns over the functioning of the Election Commission and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls.

The dispute has largely centred on the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise and allegations of ‘vote chori’ (vote theft) raised by Opposition parties.

The INDIA bloc has maintained that the proceedings are intended to provide a platform for discussing concerns related to the electoral system and bringing together parties opposing the CEC.

How the proceedings are being conducted

The programme follows a format resembling parliamentary proceedings, although it is a symbolic political exercise rather than a formal constitutional impeachment process.

Mallikarjun Kharge is moving the motion, with Meira Kumar presiding over the proceedings. Representatives of participating Opposition parties are expected to speak, while Rahul Gandhi is scheduled to make the concluding remarks before the motion is adopted.

The public impeachment programme is also part of the Opposition’s wider campaign against Gyanesh Kumar, with INDIA bloc parties planning a rally at Delhi’s Ramlila Maidan on November 1.

The Opposition has been raising concerns over the SIR exercise and alleged irregularities in electoral rolls, describing them as issues affecting voters’ rights and the electoral process. These allegations have been central to its campaign against the CEC.

The public impeachment programme was initially scheduled for October 30 but was postponed because of continuous rainfall in the national capital. It was subsequently rescheduled for October 31 at the same venue.

The event also comes ahead of the INDIA bloc’s planned November 1 rally at Ramlila Maidan in Delhi, where Opposition parties intend to continue their campaign over allegations of vote theft and electoral irregularities.

Punjabi singer and actor Diljit Dosanjh addressed criticism over his earlier remarks on student protests during his Delhi concert on Friday, October 30. Without directly naming the Cockroach Janata Party (CJP), he responded to comments made about his stance on protests and his film Satluj.

Speaking to the audience at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium, Dosanjh said that people should not teach Punjabis how to fight for a cause. He also expressed his displeasure over the film being mocked on stage, saying that considerable effort had gone into making it.

The singer’s remarks came amid an ongoing disagreement with CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke, who had previously criticised him over his response to the student protests.

What Diljit Dosanjh said at Delhi concert

During his performance, Dosanjh addressed the criticism surrounding his earlier statement that he was an artist and not a politician.

“I love all of you because I am an artist, bro. I am being quiet, so let me stay quiet. I support all of you. But don’t teach Punjabis how to fight,” he told the audience.

Referring to Satluj, a film based on human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, the singer said that those making fun of the film had overlooked the struggle involved in bringing the project to the screen.

He reiterated that he loved everyone, adding that even if some people disliked him, he had no intention of responding with hatred.

Abhijeet Dipke responds with ‘Mitti Pao’ message

Following Dosanjh’s remarks, CJP leader Abhijeet Dipke shared a message addressed to the singer on Instagram.

Dipke explained that he had felt hurt by Dosanjh’s comments during the student protests in June. However, he clarified that his criticism was not driven by any personal disagreement with the singer.

He said he had always admired Dosanjh for speaking up on important issues and continued to respect him despite their differences.

Dipke also recalled attending the singer’s Chicago concert in May, saying that his admiration extended beyond Dosanjh’s music to the person he was.

Praising the singer’s courage, authenticity and contribution to taking India onto the global stage while remaining connected to his roots, Dipke said that one disagreement or misunderstanding would not change his respect for him.

He concluded his message with the Punjabi expression, “Baaki paaji, chhota bhai samajh ke mitti pao”, asking Dosanjh to consider him a younger brother and let the matter go.

What sparked the Diljit Dosanjh-Abhijeet Dipke controversy?

The disagreement dates back to June, when Dosanjh faced criticism over his response to questions about student protests at Jantar Mantar concerning alleged examination irregularities and the NEET paper leak controversy.

During an Instagram Live session, a fan asked the singer whether he would join the protests.

Responding to the question, Dosanjh said, “Keep me away from all this. Bro, I’m an artist. I’m no politician, I don’t know what you think I am.”

He also said that he did not know enough about the matter to comment on it.

His response drew criticism from some people, who questioned why he was not taking a more direct position on the protests. Some also compared his remarks with his public support for farmers during the 2020 farmers’ agitation.

Dipke was among those who criticised the singer, questioning his response in the context of his association with socially and politically sensitive projects such as Satluj.

What is Diljit Dosanjh’s film Satluj about?

Satluj is based on the life and work of human rights activist Jaswant Singh Khalra, who highlighted alleged illegal killings and secret cremations in Punjab during the late 1980s and early 1990s.

The film, originally titled Panjab 95, faced a prolonged delay over certification-related issues before its release on ZEE5 on July 3. However, it was removed from the streaming platform within two days.

The film’s removal also attracted criticism, particularly from those who had raised concerns about its delayed release.