L Murugan, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, has tendered resignation from the post, as well as his Rajya Sabha membership.
In a letter, Murugan requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to relieve him of his duties and said that he wanted to dedicate his time to strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu.
“Now, I wish to return to the grassroots, stand with our karyakartas and dedicate myself full-time to strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Nation First. Party Next. Self Last.” a part of his post on X read.
The move has further fueled speculation that a cabinet reshuffle is imminent.
Before Murugan, union ministers George Kurian and Ravneet Singh Bittu also resigned from the cabinet in June and July, respectively.
Who is L Murugan?
L Murugan is a former president of the BJP's Tamil Nadu unit and he was elected to the Upper House from Madhya Pradesh. He hails from the Arunthathiyar community and was born to Telugu speaking parents in Tamil Nadu's Namakkal.
{{/usCountry}}L Murugan is a former president of the BJP's Tamil Nadu unit and he was elected to the Upper House from Madhya Pradesh. He hails from the Arunthathiyar community and was born to Telugu speaking parents in Tamil Nadu's Namakkal.
{{/usCountry}}His term in the Rajya Sabha was set to conclude in 2030, but he requested PM Modi to relieve him from the post on Tuesday.
He was made the BJP's Tamil Nadu chief in 2020 and entered PM Modi’s Cabinet in July 2021 during a reshuffle. After Murugan, K Annamalai was appointed the BJP's Tamil Nadu chief.
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Murugan also has experience in student politics, having worked for the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP).
Murugan thanks PM Modi for cabinet berth
In his letter to PM Modi on Tuesday, Murugan recalled his roots and expressed gratitude for being made a union minister under the BJP. “I do not come from a political family. I come from a very poor family. My parents, who worked as daily wage labourers and cattle grazers, continue to lead a simple life in Konur village. They could never have imagined that their son would one day serve in the Union Government,” he wrote.
He said he was motivated by the prime minister's dedication to India, Tamil Nadu and the BJP and he feels that he too must now give more of himself to the work that first brought him into public life.
He also recalled the government's support to the Chennai Metro and expansion of the Tuticorin Port and highways in Tamil Nadu.
“The party also entrusted me with the opportunity to contest Assembly elections and Lok Sabha elections over the years. I never imagined that I would be given so many avenues to serve my nation and my party,” he wrote.
Murugan lost the 2024 Lok Sabha elections to DMK's A Raja in Tamil Nadu’s Nilgiris constituency, but was inducted into the NDA’s council of ministers despite the loss.