The Narendra Modi-led NDA government on Wednesday ended speculation over the future of Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri by nominating him for a Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh. The seat fell vacant following the resignation of Union Minister L Murugan.
Puri, 74, will stay in the PM-led Cabinet now with the BJP retaining the lone Sikh face of the council of ministers.
Puri’s future had come under question after the BJP recently denied him a re-nomination from Uttar Pradesh in the biennial Rajya Sabha elections where all state leaders were fielded keeping the 2027 UP Assembly polls in mind.
The BJP has retained Puri ahead of a crucial Punjab poll early next year.
Puri has been under fire from the Congress-led Opposition over alleged links to late child sex offences convict Jeffrey Epstein. However, he has denied all allegations of any links to Epstein.
By re-nominating the Union Oil and Natural Gas minister, the PM has thrown his weight behind Puri and signalled support to him.
Puri had unsuccessfully contested the 2019 Lok Sabha elections from Punjab’s Amritsar in which Gurjit Aujla of the Congress had won.
Puri’s Rajya Sabha term was to end in November.
Meanwhile, Rajya Sabha by-election for the MP seat will be held on November 12.
