Bhopal, Aug 27 (IANS): After the independent candidate Kantidev Singh withdrew his nomination, Union Minister George Kurian was elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh on Tuesday.

Kurian received a certificate from the Returning Office at the state Assembly and was accompanied by state BJP chief V.D. Sharma.

Sources told IANS that Sidhi-based BJP leader Kantidev Singh was a dummy candidate from the party.

One more independent candidate Kuldeep Belawat had also filed his nomination to challenge Kurian. However, his nomination was cancelled due to lack of information.

One out of 11 Rajya Sabha seats fell vacant after Union Minister Jyotiraditya Scindia was elected to the Parliament from the Guna Lok Sabha constituency in the 2024 general elections.

With over four decades in the BJP, Kurian has held various significant positions, including membership in the national executive committee, serving as the national vice-president of Yuvamorcha, and being the vice-chairman of the National Commission for Minorities.

George Kurian (63), who hails from Kerala, has been a long-standing BJP member, who joined the party when it was formed in the 1980s.

Madhya Pradesh has a total of 11 Rajya Sabha seats. Eight are with the BJP. MoS for Information and Broadcasting L. Murugan is also an RS member from Madhya Pradesh.

Earlier, George Kurian served as the vice-chairman of the National Commission for Minorities and as Officer on Special Duty (OSD) to former Minister of State for Railways, O. Rajagopal.

Kurian was sworn in as Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying and Minority Affairs in the Modi 3.0 government on June 9.

BJP's other Rajya Sabha MPs from Madhya Pradesh are - Umesh Nath Maharaj, Bansilal Gurjar, Maya Naroliya, Kavita Patidar, Sumitra Valmiki and Sumer Singh Solanki.

The Congress has three Rajya Sabha MPs -- Digvijaya Singh, Vivek Tankha and Ashok Singh -- from the central Indian state.