India, June 23 -- Union Minister of State George Kurian has resigned from the Council of Ministers after the BJP did not nominate him for a Rajya Sabha term, signalling a major political reshuffle within the party.

President Droupadi Murmu accepted his resignation on the advice of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to official sources. Kurian's exit comes after his Rajya Sabha term expired and the party left him out of its latest list of candidates for the Upper House.

The Kerala BJP leader was serving as Minister of State for Minority Affairs and Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying. His omission from the Rajya Sabha list had fuelled speculation that he would also be dropped from the Union Cabinet.

Party sources indicate that...