President Accepts L Murugan's Resignation; Four Union Berths Now Vacantਰਾਸ਼ਟਰਪਤੀ ਨੇ ਐੱਲ. ਮੁਰੂਗਨ ਦਾ ਅਸਤੀਫ਼ਾ ਮਨਜ਼ੂਰ ਕੀਤਾ, ਕੇਂਦਰੀ ਮੰਤਰੀ ਮੰਡਲ ਵਿੱਚ ਚਾਰ ਅਹੁਦੇ ਖ਼ਾਲੀ

President Droupadi Murmu on Thursday accepted the resignation of Union Minister of State L Murugan, leaving four berths vacant in Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Council of Ministers and fuelling talk of a Cabinet reshuffle. Murugan, who held Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, said he wants to return to Tamil Nadu to strengthen the BJP there.

Why did L Murugan resign?

Murugan quit the ministry and his Rajya Sabha seat on Tuesday, October 13. In his letter to Modi he said he wanted to return to the grassroots and work full time for the BJP in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections, according to Akashvani News. He described his journey from the son of daily-wage labourers to a Union minister as the greatest privilege of his life. A Rashtrapati Bhavan communique said the resignation was accepted on the Prime Minister's advice, with immediate effect, under Article 75(2) of the Constitution.

Murugan was elected to the Rajya Sabha in September 2021 and re-elected in April 2024 from Madhya Pradesh. His term was to run until April 2030, PTI reported.

Who else has left the Union Council of Ministers?

PTI notes that Murugan is the third Minister of State to resign after George Kurian and Ravneet Singh Bittu, who quit in June and July after the BJP did not renominate them to the Rajya Sabha. The Tribune reports that Bittu has been asked to work in poll-bound Punjab, while Kurian has returned to grassroots work in Kerala.

The Tribune adds that Education Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had also resigned from the Union Cabinet, with the Education Ministry currently held by Pralhad Joshi. ## Is a Cabinet reshuffle coming?

The vacancies have set off speculation, but the Tribune says the government appears to be in no hurry for a major overhaul. Hardeep Puri and BL Verma were denied Rajya Sabha renomination but remain ministers and can stay for six months after their terms expire in November. Pankaj Chaudhary and Harsh Malhotra, appointed BJP presidents for Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, also continue as ministers. No date for a reshuffle has been announced.

What does it mean for Punjab?

Ravneet Singh Bittu, the Union minister from Punjab, is among those who have already stepped down from the Council of Ministers and been sent back to organisational work as Punjab heads towards the 2027 Assembly election. The BJP has not said who will take over the portfolios Murugan held.

Who is L Murugan?

He is a BJP leader from Tamil Nadu who served as Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and for Parliamentary Affairs. He joined the Council of Ministers in 2021 and was a Rajya Sabha member from Madhya Pradesh.

How many Union berths are vacant now?

Four, according to the Tribune, after Murugan's resignation was accepted. It notes that Kurian, Bittu and Pradhan had quit earlier.

When will the Murugan portfolios be reassigned?

The Centre has not said. His resignation has fed reshuffle speculation, but no announcement has been made on who will handle Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs.