L Murugan resigns as Union minister, Rajya Sabha MP to focus on ‘strengthening BJP in TN’

UNION Minister of State L. Murugan resigned from the Union Council of Ministers and the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, saying he wanted to return to grassroots politics and focus on strengthening the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.

In his resignation letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Murugan said he wished to dedicate himself full-time to the party’s expansion in the state and take the prime minister’s message of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas” to people across Tamil Nadu.

In a statement posted on X, Murugan described his tenure under Modi’s leadership as a great honour and said he now wanted to work alongside party workers at the grassroots.

“It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve Bharat Mata and Tamil Nadu under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji,” he wrote.

Murugan also reflected on his political journey, which began during his college years when he joined the Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP), the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh-affiliated student organisation. He said he was inspired by the nationalist ideals of Mahakavi Bharati, Sardar Patel and Syama Prasad Mookerjee.

He said the principle guiding his nearly three decades in the ABVP and the BJP had been “Nation First, Party Next, Self Last”.

Murugan emphasized that PM Modi’s recognition of grassroots workers had strengthened his belief that dedication and service could create opportunities regardless of a person’s family background.

Who is L Murugan?

Murugan is a former president of the BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit and was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh.

His term in the Upper House was due to end in 2030, but he sought to step down before its completion.

He took over as the BJP’s Tamil Nadu chief in 2020 and joined Modi’s Union Cabinet in July 2021 during a Cabinet reshuffle. K. Annamalai succeeded him as the party’s state chief.

Murugan comes from Tamil Nadu’s Namakkal district and belongs to the Arunthathiyar community.

Before taking on organisational responsibilities in the BJP, he was active in student politics through the ABVP.

His resignation comes as he seeks to return to party organisation and grassroots mobilisation in Tamil Nadu, with the BJP looking to strengthen its position in the state ahead of the 2029 general election.