L. Murugan Resigns from Union Council and Rajya Sabha, Focuses on Strengthening BJP in Tamil Nadu

New Delhi, October 13: Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting, L. Murugan, has resigned from both the Union Cabinet and the Rajya Sabha. He submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, requesting to be relieved of his ministerial duties and to vacate his Rajya Sabha seat.

Murugan expressed his desire to dedicate his time to strengthening the BJP organization in Tamil Nadu. He stated that he wishes to return to grassroots work, engaging with people in villages and neighborhoods, and expanding the party’s presence ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. Serving the country and Tamil Nadu under Modi’s leadership has been his greatest honor, he noted.

In his resignation letter, Murugan shared his humble beginnings, stating that he comes from a poor family and has no political lineage. His parents worked as daily wage laborers and grazed cattle in the village of Koonur in Namakkal district. He never imagined that he would become a minister in the central government.

“Nation first, party second, self last,” he wrote in a post following his resignation.

Resignation Before Term Completion

Murugan was a Rajya Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh, having first entered the upper house through a by-election in September 2021. His seat became vacant after Thawarchand Gehlot was appointed as the Governor of Karnataka. He was re-elected in April 2024, with his current term set to last until April 2030. Thus, he has resigned with over three and a half years remaining in his term.

This marks the third resignation from Modi’s cabinet this year. George Kurian resigned in June, followed by Ravneet Singh Bittu in July. Both had their Rajya Sabha terms ending on June 21, 2026, and the BJP did not nominate them for re-election. Murugan’s situation is different as he still held his membership.

Political Landscape in Tamil Nadu

Murugan’s resignation comes about five months after the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections. In the elections held on April 23, the actor-turned-politician C. Joseph Vijay’s party, Tamilga Vetrik Kadhagam (TVK), won 108 seats, marking a historic victory for a non-Dravidian party in the state after 59 years. Vijay became Chief Minister on May 10. The BJP managed to win only one seat out of 234, alongside its alliance with AIADMK, which secured a total of 53 seats.

Murugan himself lost in the elections, receiving 68,836 votes against TVK’s S. Kamali, who garnered 84,209 votes, resulting in a defeat by 15,373 votes.

From Advocate to Union Minister

L. Murugan was born on May 29, 1977, in Koonur, Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu. He studied law in Chennai, earning an LLM and PhD from Madras University, and practiced law for around 15 years. He served as a permanent advocate for the Government of India at the Madras High Court. He joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad in 1997 and later became active in the Sangh. From 2017 to 2020, he was the Vice Chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes.

In March 2020, he was appointed as the state president of the Tamil Nadu BJP. This role was passed to K. Annamalai when Murugan joined Modi’s cabinet in July 2021. Nainar Nagendran took over as state president in April 2025. Murugan is the first central minister from the Arundhathiyar community.

As a minister, he served as the Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting from July 2021. He also held the Fisheries, Animal Husbandry, and Dairying Department from July 2021 to June 2024, and later took on the role of Minister of Parliamentary Affairs.

Murugan has not yet won a direct election, having reached Parliament through the Rajya Sabha both times. In 2021, he lost the Dharapuram seat by a narrow margin of just 1,393 votes.

By-Election for Madhya Pradesh Seat

Following his resignation, the Rajya Sabha seat from Madhya Pradesh will become vacant, necessitating a by-election. The newly elected member will serve until the remaining term ends in April 2030.

This decision comes a day after the appointment of new governors in six states, including Om Prakash Mathur for Kerala and Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar for Tamil Nadu. This has reignited discussions about potential reshuffles in the Union Cabinet.

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Ganpat Singh Chouhan: My name is Ganpat Singh Choughan. I am an experienced content writer with 7 years of expertise in the field. Currently, I contribute to Daily Kiran, creating engaging and informative content across a variety of categories including technology, health, travel, education, and automobiles. My goal is to deliver accurate, insightful, and captivating information through my words to help readers stay informed and empowered.