Union Minister L Murugan Quits Modi Cabinet, Seeks Rajya Sabha Exit With Four Years Left, Reshuffle Buzz Grows

L Murugan’s decision to resign as Union Minister of State and seek to relinquish his Rajya Sabha membership, despite having nearly four years left in his parliamentary term, has fuelled speculation about an imminent Union Cabinet reshuffle and raised questions about the BJP’s political strategy in Tamil Nadu.

Murugan, who held the portfolios of Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs as Minister of State, submitted his resignation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying he wanted to return to Tamil Nadu and devote himself full-time to strengthening the party ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

A lawyer by profession, Murugan previously served as president of the Tamil Nadu BJP, taking charge of the state unit in 2020. He entered the Rajya Sabha in September 2021 from Madhya Pradesh and became a Union Minister of State the same year. He was re-elected to the Upper House in April 2024, with his term scheduled to end in April 2030.

In his resignation letter, Murugan described serving in the Union government as the greatest privilege of his life. Recalling his journey from being the son of daily-wage labourers to becoming a Union minister, he said he wanted to return to villages and streets, work alongside party workers and expand the BJP’s presence across Tamil Nadu.

However, the timing of his resignation has prompted questions about whether the move is solely an organisational decision or also reflects changing political equations within the BJP. Reports citing party insiders suggest Murugan’s prospects of returning as Tamil Nadu BJP president had weakened, with Nainar Nagenthran continuing in the position. Speculation has also emerged over a possible Cabinet reshuffle, although no official announcement has confirmed its timing or linked it directly to Murugan’s departure.

Murugan is the third Minister of State to leave the Union Council of Ministers since June, after George Kurian and Ravneet Singh Bittu. Both had quit after the BJP declined to renominate them for Rajya Sabha elections. However, Hardeep Singh Puri and B. L. Verma, who were also not renominated, have continued as ministers. This contrast has added significance to Murugan’s decision to relinquish both his ministerial post and Rajya Sabha membership, fuelling speculation about a possible Cabinet reshuffle.

For the BJP, Murugan’s return could signal a renewed effort to strengthen its grassroots network in Tamil Nadu ahead of 2029. Giving up both national positions while his parliamentary term still had years to run marks a shift towards direct organisational work in the state.

Whether his resignation precedes wider changes in the Union Cabinet or represents a targeted redeployment of a party leader to Tamil Nadu remains unclear. The BJP’s next decisions on its state leadership and the Union Cabinet could offer a clearer indication of the political calculations behind the move.