E-Paper
Kurian: The surprise BJP choice from Kerala
George Kurian has been an organisation man within the Kerala BJP for the last four decades after he entered politics through the BJYM
George Kurian, an advocate and Kerala Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) general secretary, was inducted into the Union council of ministers under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi. He will be the second minister from Kerala apart from Suresh Gopi, the MP from Thrissur.
Kurian has been an organisation man within the Kerala BJP for the last four decades after he entered politics through the Bharatiya Janata Yuva Morcha (BJYM). Despite being in a tough political climate in a state where the BJP has not had much success electorally, Kurian stayed with the party and worked overtime to increase its outreach to the minorities, especially the Christian community to which he belongs.
Kurian has served in the past as the national vice-chairman of the national commission for minorities and the officer on special duty (OSD) to O Rajagopal, the veteran BJP leader during his term as Union minister under the AB Vajpayee government. The 63-year-old is a familiar face during television debates in Kerala and often translated speeches of central BJP leaders during elections due to his familiarity with Hindi. He contested the 2016 assembly elections from Puthuppally, a Congress stronghold, but remained in third place behind Congress and CPI(M) candidates.
His induction into the Union council is seen as the BJP’s acknowledgement of the Christian support to the party in the just-concluded elections especially in Thrissur where the party won. It will also be seen as the party’s further outreach to the community in getting support for the 2026 assembly polls.
