Hardeep Puri files nomination for Rajya Sabha

Lucknow: Union minister Hardeep Singh Puri filed his nomination as a BJP candidate for the byelection to a Rajya Sabha seat in Uttar Pradesh on Wednesday.

The seat had fallen vacant following the resignation of Manohar Parrikar, who quit the Union ministry to take charge as Goa chief minister.

Mr Puri, a former bureaucrat, was sworn in as minister in the Modi government in September last year but is not yet a member of the Parliament. The term of this seat ends in November, 2020.

Mr Puri was accompanied by chief minister Yogi Adityanath and BJP state president Mahendra Nath Pandey when he filed his nomination.

He said that he had come to know about his candidature during the chief minister’s recent Noida visit and added that he would be happy to represent UP in the Rajya Sabha. “I thank Prime Minister Narendra Modi and party president Amit Shah for making me minister and now giving me a chance to represent the state in the RS as a BJP member,” Mr Puri said.

Meanwhile, chief minister Yogi Adityanath told reporters that Mr Puri was an able person and had a long administrative experience.

Though there is no doubt about Mr Puri’s election since the BJP enjoys an overwhelming majority, polling, if needed, will take place on January 16.