NEW DELHI, June 23: The Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan, amid growing speculation about a possible reshuffle of the Union Council of Ministers. While no official details of the discussions were disclosed, the President’s office shared photographs of the meeting in a post on
“Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi called on President Droupadi Murmu at Rashtrapati Bhavan,” the post said. The meeting, which took place soon after the civil investiture ceremony to confer Padma awards, assumes significance as political circles in the national capital are buzzing with the growing possibility of a cabinet reshuffle.
Earlier in the day, veteran BJP leader George Kurian resigned from the Union government following the end of his Rajya Sabha term. Kurian, who served as Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Minister of State for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, was not re-nominated by the BJP in the recent Rajya Sabha elections.
Rashtrapati Bhavan later confirmed that President Murmu had accepted his resignation. In an official statement, the Rashtrapati Bhavan announced that the President had accepted Kurian’s resignation on the advice of the Prime Minister. “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.
Union Minister of State for Railways Ravneet Singh, whose Rajya Sabha term ended on June 21, has also not been re-nominated by the BJP to the Upper House. Singh, who had been a Rajya Sabha member from Rajasthan since August 2024, also holds the charge of Minister of State for the Ministry of Food Processing Industries.
Recent organizational appointments within the BJP have further added to the reshuffle buzz. BJP president Nitin Nabin appointed Union Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways Harsh Malhotra as the Delhi BJP chief on May 28. Malhotra continues to hold his ministerial responsibilities, including his role in the Ministry of Corporate Affairs.
Similarly, Union Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary was appointed president of the BJP’s Uttar Pradesh unit in December last year while retaining his ministerial portfolio.
The resignation of ministers whose parliamentary terms have ended and the assignment of key organizational responsibilities to serving ministers have intensified speculation that changes in the Union Cabinet could be under consideration, although the government has made no official announcement.
(Rohit Kumar)
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