New Delhi: Veteran Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader George Kurian resigned as Union Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries on Tuesday following the expiry of his Rajya Sabha term.

The resignation was accepted by President Droupadi Murmu on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to an official statement issued by Rashtrapati Bhavan.

“The President of India, as advised by the Prime Minister, has accepted the resignation of Shri George Kurian from the Union Council of Ministers, with immediate effect, under clause (2) of Article 75 of the Constitution,” the statement said.

Kurian, 65, had been serving as Minister of State in the third Narendra Modi-led government since August 2024. A long-time BJP leader, he has been associated with the party since its formation in 1980 and has held several organisational responsibilities over the years.

Rajya Sabha term comes to an end

His resignation follows the completion of his six-year term in the Rajya Sabha, making it necessary for him to vacate his ministerial position.

Kurian was not renominated to the Upper House, reportedly in the wake of the BJP's disappointing performance in recent elections in Kerala, where the party has continued to struggle to expand its electoral footprint.

A prominent Christian face within the BJP in Kerala, Kurian was appointed to the Union Council of Ministers as part of the party's efforts to strengthen its outreach among minority communities and enhance its presence in the southern state.

Long political career

Born on 20 September 1960 in Nambiakulam, within Ettumanoor Municipality in Kerala's Kottayam district, Kurian has been a key organisational figure in the BJP for decades.

Although his ministerial tenure has come to an end, political observers believe he is likely to remain active within the party and continue to play a role in its organisational and electoral strategies, particularly in Kerala.