BJP Drops Hardeep Singh Puri, All 8 Outgoing UP Rajya Sabha MPs in Major Nomination Overhaul

By Political Bureau | New Delhi Chronicle

NEW DELHI: In a major organizational realignment ahead of the upcoming Rajya Sabha elections, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Monday announced its candidates for eight seats in Uttar Pradesh, replacing all outgoing members from the state.

Among those dropped from the candidate list is Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The party’s decision marks a complete overhaul of its representation in the Upper House from India’s most populous state.

In addition to Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri and Union Minister of State BL Verma, the list of outgoing members who were not re-nominated includes national general secretary Arun Singh, Neeraj Shekhar, Geeta Shakya, and former Uttar Pradesh Director General of Police Brijlal.

Political analysts view this sweeping replacement strategy as part of the BJP’s broader effort to refresh its parliamentary lineup, accommodate new organizational leaders, and rebalance regional and social equations across Uttar Pradesh ahead of future political contests.