For over two years, Murugan had concentrated on Nilgiris constituency, reaching out to the people and facilitating the implementation of the Centre's welfare schemes.
L Murugan taking the oath. (Screengrab)
Known for his organisational skills, L Murugan, a Dalit BJP leader from Tamil Nadu who took oath as a minister on Sunday, 9 June, has been a grassroots party worker for about 25 years, starting his political journey as a student activist.
Associated with the RSS and Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad before he joined the saffron party, the 47-year-old leader, who is also an advocate, hails from Tamil Nadu’s western district of Namakkal.
For over two years, Murugan had concentrated on the Nilgiris (reserved) constituency, reaching out to the people and facilitating the implementation of the Centre’s welfare schemes.
Though he did not win from the Nilgiris seat in the just concluded LS polls, his determined struggle impressed the party brass and cadres. Murugan was defeated by the DMK’s A Raja.
Murugan famously held the ‘Vel yatra’ in 2020 in the state amid opposition from outfits including the Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi, and despite the government not allowing it due to coronavirus pandemic-related curbs.
The minister became the runner-up in the Nilgiris constituency with 2,32,627 votes. The winner, Raja, defeated him by a margin of 2,40,585 votes.
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