Hardeep Puri BJP candidate for UP Rajya Sabha bypoll
New Delhi: The BJP has decided to field Housing and Urban Affairs Minister Hardeep Singh Puri as its candidate in a Rajya Sabha bypoll in Uttar Pradesh, a party release said.
Puri, a former Indian Foreign Service Officer, was inducted as a minister in the Narendra Modi government in September.
The seat fell vacant following the resignation from the cabinet and Parliament of Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, who returned to Goa to take over as Chief Minister.
The last date of nominations for the Rajya Sabha bypoll is January 5.
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French President Macron concludes Mumbai visit
Mumbai (PTI): French President Emmanuel Macron, along with First Lady Brigitte Macron, left Mumbai for New Delhi on Wednesday after concluding his engagements here, including bilateral talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
They were seen off at Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj International Airport by Maharashtra Governor Acharya Devvrat, Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and Deputy CM Eknath Shinde.
On Tuesday, Macron held discussions with Modi as part of efforts to further strengthen India-France strategic ties.
During the Mumbai visit, the French president and his wife also met some of India's top filmmakers and actors, and had an animated exchange with them about cinema, culture and collaboration.
President Macron is on an official visit to India from February 17 to 19 at the invitation of PM Modi to participate in the AI Impact Summit hosted by India in the national capital Delhi, besides the bilateral summit in Mumbai.
PM Modi will inaugurate the summit on February 19. As many as 20 heads of states, including French President Macron, will be present at the inaugural session, Electronics and IT Secretary S Krishnan said.
