MoS for Ministry of information and broadcasting, L Murugun resigns both as minister and member of the Rajya Sabha. (L Murugun/ X)Union Minister of State L Murugan resigned on Tuesday from his ministry and the Rajya Sabha, after penning a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi. In his letter, Murugan said he wants to dedicate himself full time to strengthening the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in Tamil Nadu.In his statement on X, Murugan said, “It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve Bharat Mata and Tamil Nadu under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri@narendramodi Ji.”It has been the greatest honour of my life to serve Bharat Mata and Tamil Nadu under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi Ji.From the son of daily wage labourers to serving in the Union Council of Ministers under the leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri @narendramodi Ji has been the greatest privilege of my life.Now, I wish to return to the grassroots, stand with our karyakartas and dedicate myself full-time to strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.Nation First. Party Next. Self Last. @NitinNabin @blsanthosh— Dr.L.Murugan (@DrLMurugan) October 13, 2026“From the son of daily wage labourers to serving in the Union Council of Ministers under the leadership of Hon’ble PM Shri@narendramodi Ji has been the greatest privilege of my life,” he further said. Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Tamil Nadu Governor Rajendra Vishwanath Arlekar, Union Minister of State L. Murugan, and others during the Golden Jubilee celebrations of Jaigopal Garodia Hindu Vidyalaya, in Chennai. (PMO via PTI Photo)The Union Minister said that now he wants to “return to the grassroots” and dedicate himself full-time to strengthening the BJP in Tamil Nadu ahead of the 2029 Lok Sabha elections.L Murugan is the former chief of BJP’s Tamil Nadu unit, and was elected to the Rajya Sabha from Madhya Pradesh. His term in Rajya Sabha was set to conclude in 2030, but in his resignation letter, the MP asked to be relieved from his post with immediate effect.Jatin Anand is an Assistant Editor with the national political bureau of The Indian Express. With over 17 years of experience in mainstream journalism, he is a seasoned expert in national governance, electoral politics, and bureaucratic affairs. Having covered high-stakes beats including the Election Commission of India (ECI), intelligence, and urban development, Jatin provides authoritative analysis of the forces shaping Indian democracy. He is an alumnus of Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU) and the prestigious Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai, where he specialized in Print Journalism. Expertise High-Stakes Beat Coverage: Throughout his decade-and-a-half career, Jatin has covered some of the most sensitive and influential beats in the country, including: The Election Commission of India (ECI): Monitoring electoral policy, reforms, and the conduct of national and state polls. National Security & Intelligence: Reporting on the internal mechanisms and developments within India's security apparatus. Urban Development: Analyzing the policies and bureaucratic processes driving the transformation of India’s cities. National Political Bureau: In his current role, he tracks the intersection of policy and politics, offering deep-dive reporting on the Union government and national political movements. Academic Credentials: Zakir Husain Delhi College (DU): Alumnus of one of Delhi's premier institutions. Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), Chennai: Specialized in Print Journalism at India's most prestigious journalism school. ... Read MoreArun Janardhanan is an experienced and authoritative Tamil Nadu correspondent for The Indian Express. Based in the state, his reporting combines ground-level access with long-form clarity, offering readers a nuanced understanding of South India’s political, judicial, and cultural life - work that reflects both depth of expertise and sustained authority. Expertise Geographic Focus: As Tamil Nadu Correspondent focused on politics, crime, faith and disputes, Janardhanan has been also reporting extensively on Sri Lanka, producing a decade-long body of work on its elections, governance, and the aftermath of the Easter Sunday bombings through detailed stories and interviews. Key Coverage Areas: State Politics and Governance: Close reporting on the DMK and AIADMK, the emergence of new political actors such as actor Vijay’s TVK, internal party churn, Centre–State tensions, and the role of the Governor. Legal and Judicial Affairs: Consistent coverage of the Madras High Court, including religion-linked disputes and cases involving state authority and civil liberties. Investigations: Deep-dive series on landmark cases and unresolved questions, including the Tirupati encounter and the Rajiv Gandhi assassination, alongside multiple investigative series from Tamil Nadu. Culture, Society, and Crisis: Reporting on cultural organisations, language debates, and disaster coverage—from cyclones to prolonged monsoon emergencies—anchored in on-the-ground detail. His reporting has been recognised with the Ramnath Goenka Award for Excellence in Journalism. Beyond journalism, Janardhanan is also a screenwriter; his Malayalam feature film Aarkkariyam was released in 2021. ... Read More