Union Minister George Kurian files nomination as BJP candidate from Madhya Pradesh state for Rajya Sabha election

Bhopal (Madhya Pradesh) [India], August 21 (ANI): Union Minister and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) candidate for the Rajya Sabha election from Madhya Pradesh George Kurian filed his nomination at the state's Legislative Assembly in Bhopal on Wednesday.
Kurian filed his papers in the presence of Chief Minister Mohan Yadav and Madhya Pradesh BJP chief VD Sharma.

After filing the nomination, Union Minister George Kurian said, "I express my gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the central BJP leadership, Madhya Pradesh CM Mohan Yadav, state BJP chief VD Sharma and the entire leadership of Madhya Pradesh for suggesting my name and nominating me to the Rajya Sabha. I will definitely take the responsibility and serve the people of Madhya Pradesh."

Meanwhile, CM Yadav said, "We are fortunate that we are electing a popular leader from Kerala, Union Minister George Kurian. We have received our brother from Kerala who will represent us (in Rajya Sabha). I express gratitude to party chief JP Nadda and PM Narendra Modi. I welcome George Kurian on behalf of Madhya Pradesh. We will win and I congratulate him in advance."
With George Kurian being nominated to the Upper House from MP the state will have as many as seven Ministers in the Modi 3.0 cabinet.
"It is our good fortune. I thank PM Modi who gave importance to Madhya Pradesh and provided enough space in his cabinet. This is the reason that Madhya Pradesh will move forward on the path of development," CM Yadav said.
In the third term of the Modi government, there are already six union ministers from the state which include Shivraj Singh Chouhan (MP from Vidisha constituency), Jyotiraditya Scindia (MP from Guna), Virendra Kumar (MP from Tikamgarh), Durgadas Uikey (MP from Betul), Savitri Thakur (MP from Dhar) and L Murugan (Rajya Sabha MP from the state).
If Kurian will be elected as Rajya Member from the state then, there will be seven union ministers from the state.
One Rajya Sabha seat in Madhya Pradesh became vacant after Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) in Lok Sabha from Guna constituency in the recently concluded general elections 2024.
Polling will be held on September 3 from 9 am to 4 pm and counting of votes will be done on the same day. (ANI)