THIRUVANANTHAPURAM, June 10: The BJP-led NDA 3.0 Government has roped in BJP’s senior Christian face from Kerala, George Kurian, as a surprise entry into the Union Council of Ministers as the lone representative from that community.
Kurian earlier served as the vice-chairman of the National Commission for Minorities and is currently the vice president of the BJP Kerala unit. His induction into the Council of Ministers is seen as another bid by the BJP to get closer to the Christian community.
Kurian, who received a surprise call to the oath-taking ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan on Sunday, has also been given multiple responsibilities. He will be the Minister of State in the Ministry of Minority Affairs and Minister of State in the Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying.
He contested the 2016 state assembly polls and has served as a member of the BJP’s national executive committee. He was also a vice-president of Yuva Morcha. (Agencies)
