Independent Candidate Files Nomination Against Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri in Madhya Pradesh Rajya Sabha By-Election

The Rajya Sabha by-election in Madhya Pradesh has become a political storm. Bhopal-based mobile businessman Rajkumar Lohani has filed his nomination as an independent candidate against BJP candidate and Union Minister Hardeep Singh Puri. The Congress has claimed his support. However, his nomination papers are likely to be rejected during scrutiny as he has not filed an affidavit along with the nomination. 68-year-old Rajkumar Lohani is a resident of Ghoda Nakkas area of Bhopal's old city. He has studied up to higher secondary and has a mobile accessories shop. He waited for the last day to file his nomination. Six Congress MLAs were present in the assembly during Lohani's nomination. Significantly, Congress Deputy Leader of Opposition in the assembly Hemant Katare became his proposer. Congress MLA Dr Hiralal Alawa told a news agency that 10 party MLAs have supported Lohani. According to him, Congress does not want a person associated with Jeffrey Epstein Puri apart from Hardeep Singh Puri. Hardeep Singh Puri claimed that he does not have much information about the actual face of the BJP and Puri's alleged middlemen in the Rajya Sabha.