George Kurian resigns as Union Minister

Union Minister George Kurian has resigned from the Union Council of Ministers following the completion of his Rajya Sabha tenure. President Droupadi Murmu has formally accepted his resignation.

Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said Mr. Kurian is likely to return to active organisational responsibilities and has conveyed his interest in working in Kerala to the party leadership.

A native of Kottayam, Mr. Kurian served as Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying in the third Narendra Modi government. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh.

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Mr. Kurian’s Rajya Sabha term ended on June 21 and the BJP leadership had not renominated him in the recent Rajya Sabha elections, necessitating his resignation from the Union Ministry..

Mr. Kurian assumed charge as Minister of State on June 9, 2024. While serving as Union Minister, he also contested the Kerala Assembly election from Kanjirappally but failed to make a significant electoral impact.

Before becoming a Union Minister, Mr. Kurian held several key positions in the BJP, including State vice-president, member of the National Executive Committee, Core Committee member and party spokesperson. He had also served as Vice-Chairperson of the National Commission for Minorities and as Officer on Special Duty in the office of former Union Minister of State for Railways O. Rajagopal.