Union Minister of State L Murugan on Tuesday resigned from the Modi government and said he wanted to return to Tamil Nadu to strengthen the BJP in the state, raising speculation about an imminent reshuffle in the Council of Ministers.
NEW DELHI — Union Minister of State L Murugan on Tuesday resigned from the Modi government and said he wanted to return to Tamil Nadu to strengthen the BJP in the state, raising speculation about an imminent reshuffle in the Council of Ministers.
This was the third resignation of a Minister of State (MoS) from the Council of Ministers after George Kurian and Ravneet Singh Bittu, who quit in June and July respectively after they were not renominated for Rajya Sabha elections by the BJP.
Murugan has been a member of the Rajya Sabha since September 2021 and was re-elected to the Upper House in April 2024 from Madhya Pradesh. His tenure ends in April 2030. The minister said he wants to give up his Rajya Sabha membership.
Union Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri was also not renominated by the BJP in the just-concluded Rajya Sabha elections from Uttar Pradesh. However, he continues to be a member of the Union Cabinet.
Similarly, MoS in the Ministry of Consumer Affairs, BL Verma, was also not renominated for the polls to the Upper House. He too continues to be in office.
Two other MoS, Pankaj Chaudhary and Harsh Malhotra, who were made chief of BJP's Uttar Pradesh and Delhi units respectively in recent months, continue to discharge both the responsibilities.
"I requested our Prime Minister to relieve me from the Council of Ministers and the Rajya Sabha because I want to go to Tamil Nadu to strengthen our party.
"In my letter to the Prime Minister, I stated that I want to strengthen our party by going to villages, streets and everywhere else, and prepare the ground for the 2029 parliamentary elections," Murugan told PTI.
In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Murugan, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, said it was the "greatest honour" of his life to serve "Bharat Mata" and Tamil Nadu under his leadership.
Murugan said that from being the son of daily wage labourers to serving in the Union Council of Ministers under the leadership of PM Modi has been the greatest privilege of his life.
"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," he said.
The BJP leader from Tamil Nadu said everything he has received from the party and from Modi's leadership has deepened his sense of responsibility. He said the prime minister's dedication to India, Tamil Nadu and the BJP made him feel that he must now give more time to the party.
"I want to go to every village and every street, meet our people, stand beside our 'karyakartas' (workers) and help expand the party's presence in every part of the State. I want to carry your message of 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwaas' to every person, and help every family see its place in the journey towards 'Viksit Bharat'."
Murugan said the love and hope he witnessed during the prime minister's recent visit to Tamil Nadu have strengthened his conviction that there is much more the party can achieve in Tamil Nadu.
"I wish to devote my full time and energy to preparing the party for the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, working towards another term under your leadership, this time with a landslide contribution of seats from Tamil Nadu.
"I make this request with profound gratitude for the honour of serving in your government for the past five years. The trust you placed in a son of daily wage labourers will remain the greatest privilege of my life. I now seek your blessings to repay that trust through tireless work among our people and our party workers," he said in the letter.