Why L. Murugan Quit as Union Minister and Rajya Sabha MP: The BJP's Tamil Nadu Reset, Explained
L. Murugan resigned as Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, and as a Rajya Sabha member, on 13 October 2026, saying he wants to rebuild the BJP in Tamil Nadu before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls. Here is who he is, what he said, and what it means.
In a rare move for a sitting minister, L. Murugan has given up both his ministerial post and his Rajya Sabha seat to go back to party work in Tamil Nadu. On 13 October 2026 he wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi asking to be relieved, and President Droupadi Murmu accepted his resignation from the Union Council of Ministers. Here is why it matters.
The 60-second version
- Who: L. Murugan, Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs.
- What: Resigned as minister and as a Rajya Sabha MP from Madhya Pradesh, a term due to run until 2030.
- When: Letter sent on 13 October 2026; resignation accepted.
- Stated reason: To rebuild the BJP in Tamil Nadu before the 2029 Lok Sabha polls.
- Context: Third minister to quit in 2026, fuelling reshuffle talk.
What Murugan said
On X, Murugan said he wished to "return to the grassroots, stand with our karyakartas" and work full-time for the party in Tamil Nadu. He summed up his approach as "Nation First. Party Next. Self Last."
In his letter he also spoke about his background: "I do not come from a political family. I come from a very poor family." He listed Central support for Chennai Metro, the expansion of Tuticorin Port and highway projects in Tamil Nadu among the work he was proud of.
Who is L. Murugan?
| Home | Konur village, Namakkal district, Tamil Nadu |
| Community | Arunthathiyar (Scheduled Caste) |
| Start in politics | Student activist with the ABVP |
| BJP Tamil Nadu president | 2020, later succeeded by K. Annamalai |
| Union Council of Ministers | Since the July 2021 reshuffle |
| 2024 Lok Sabha | Lost Nilgiris to the DMK's A. Raja |
His parents were daily wage labourers, and his rise from that background made him one of the BJP's most visible Dalit faces in the South.
Why the BJP needs a Tamil Nadu reset
Tamil Nadu has long been one of the BJP's toughest states. Its politics were dominated for decades by the DMK and AIADMK, and the 2026 assembly election shook things up further, with actor Vijay's TVK breaking the Dravidian duopoly. (Read our explainer on how TVK changed Tamil Nadu politics.)
For the BJP, that churn is both a threat and an opening. Sending back a senior leader with ministerial experience, a grassroots background, and organisational history in the state suggests the party wants to build a cadre-based structure for 2029, rather than relying only on alliances.
Is a Cabinet reshuffle coming?
Possibly, but nothing is official. Murugan is the third Union minister to step down this year, after George Kurian in June and Ravneet Singh Bittu in July. Media reports have linked the exits to a possible reshuffle of the Modi government, but the government has made no announcement.
What to watch next
- His new role. Whether the party gives Murugan a formal organisational post in Tamil Nadu.
- The Rajya Sabha seat. His Madhya Pradesh seat will need to be filled, most likely by a BJP nominee given the party's strength in that assembly.
- The reshuffle. Who replaces him at Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs.
Based on Murugan's letter and public statements as reported by the Free Press Journal, Zee News and All India Radio. Reshuffle reports are media speculation and have not been confirmed by the government.
Frequently asked questions
›Why did L. Murugan resign?
In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and a post on X on 13 October 2026, Murugan said he wanted to return to grassroots work and devote himself full-time to strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections. No other reason has been officially given.
›Which posts did L. Murugan resign from?
He resigned as Union Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, and as a Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh, a term that was due to end in 2030. President Droupadi Murmu accepted his resignation from the Council of Ministers on the Prime Minister's advice.
›Is a Union Cabinet reshuffle coming?
There is speculation, but no official announcement. Murugan's exit follows the resignations of Union Ministers George Kurian in June and Ravneet Singh Bittu in July 2026, which has fuelled reshuffle talk in media reports.
›Who is L. Murugan?
L. Murugan is a BJP leader from Namakkal district in Tamil Nadu and belongs to the Arunthathiyar community. He started in politics with the ABVP, was BJP Tamil Nadu president from 2020, joined the Union Council of Ministers in July 2021, and lost the Nilgiris Lok Sabha seat to the DMK's A. Raja in 2024.