L Murugan Resigns as Union Minister to Focus on BJP in Tamil Nadu

Union Minister of State L Murugan resigned on Tuesday from the Narendra Modi government and from his Rajya Sabha membership. He told the prime minister he wanted to return to Tamil Nadu and work full time on strengthening the Bharatiya Janata Party there.

Murugan held the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs. In a letter to Modi, he wrote that serving under the prime minister had been the greatest privilege of his life. He asked to be relieved so he could dedicate himself to the party in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

He posted on X that he wished to return to the grassroots, stand with karyakartas, and focus on the state. He added the line “Nation First. Party Next. Self Last.” Murugan is a former BJP Tamil Nadu unit chief and has served as vice chairman of the National Commission for Scheduled Castes. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh.

The resignation comes amid speculation about a possible cabinet reshuffle before Diwali. Several positions are expected to open. Murugan’s departure frees one ministerial slot and one Rajya Sabha seat.

He described his decision as a return to organizational work after years in government. Modi had visited Tamil Nadu recently, and Murugan said he saw public enthusiasm during that trip. He framed the move as preparation for the next national election cycle.

Tamil Nadu has long been a difficult state for the BJP. The party has worked to expand its presence beyond its traditional base. Murugan’s return places a senior leader with ministerial experience back in the state unit at a time when the party is assessing its ground organization.

No immediate replacement for the ministerial portfolios was announced. The Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs portfolios will need reassignment. Murugan had held the posts for a period that included the recent parliamentary sessions.

His letter emphasized humility and gratitude. He said the opportunity to serve India and Tamil Nadu under Modi’s leadership was the highest honor. The resignation was accepted, and he stepped down from both roles on the same day.

Political observers noted the timing. A reshuffle has been discussed in Delhi for weeks. Murugan’s exit fits a pattern in which leaders sometimes move from the center back to state-level work before major elections.

The BJP has not issued a detailed public statement beyond acknowledging the resignation. Tamil Nadu unit leaders are expected to integrate him into organizational responsibilities. His experience in both state and national roles gives him a direct line to the central leadership.

Murugan’s background includes work with the Scheduled Castes commission and two terms in the Rajya Sabha. He has been a consistent voice for the party in southern India. The decision removes him from day-to-day ministerial duties and places him in full-time campaign and organization mode.

Further appointments to the vacant ministerial positions are likely to follow in the coming days or weeks. The prime minister’s office has not confirmed a broader reshuffle date. Murugan’s move is the clearest public signal so far that at least one senior figure is shifting focus back to the state.