George Kurian Resigns as Union Minister After BJP Denies Rajya Sabha Renomination

Respectable Union Minister of State George Kurian has resigned from the Union Council of Ministers after the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) has decided not to renominate him for the Rajya Sabha. This resignation was formally accepted by the honorable President Droupadi Murmu under the Article 75(2) of the Constitution on the advice of the Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Kurian’s exit from the Union Cabinet comes at to end of his six-year term in the Rajya Sabha.

Why Did George Kurian Resign?

George Kurian’s resignation was primarily linked with the completion of his Rajya Sabha tenure.

As per the constitutional requirements, a minister who is not a member of the Parliament for an extended period cannot continue in the office.

Since the BJP did not renominate him to the Rajya Sabha Kurian has stepped down from the Union Council of Ministers.

His name was absent when the party has announced the candidates for Upper House elections earlier this month.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan later confirmed that the President Droupadi Murmu had accepted his resignation with immediate effect.

George Kurian’s Political Journey

George Kurian has been associated with the BJP since the party’s formation in the year 1980.

He is a lawyer by profession and he emerged as one of the party’s prominent leaders in the Kerala and held several important organizational positions over the years.

His political roles have included,

• Vice-President of BJP Kerala
• State General Secretary of BJP
• National Secretary of the Bharatiya Yuva Morcha
• Member of the BJP National Executive

Kurian also served as the Officer on Special Duty to veteran BJP leader and former Union Minister O Rajagopal during the Atal Bihari Vajpayee government between the year 1999 and 2004.

Role in the Modi Government

George Kurian was inducted into the Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s Council of Ministers in the year 2024.

His inclusion was widely viewed as part of the BJP’s strategy to strengthen the its engagement with Kerala’s Christian community which is the key demographic in the state.

Throughout his tenure, Kurian was actively involved in the government outreach and was often seen translating speeches of the Prime Minister Modi and Home Minister Amit Shah into Malayalam during the public events in Kerala.

Who Replaced Him in the Rajya Sabha Race?

George Kurian was a Rajya Sabha member from the state of Madhya Pradesh.

For the current Rajya Sabha elections, the BJP nominated the,

• Tarun Chugh
• Rajneesh Agrawal

This decision has effectively ended the Kurian’s tenure in the Upper House and consequently his ministerial position.