3 min readThiruvananthapuramJun 10, 2024 08:00 AM IST
First published on: Jun 10, 2024 at 08:00 AM IST
BJP’s senior Christian face in Kerala George Kurian is a surprise entry into the Union Council of Ministers of the Narendra Modi-led government. Kurian earlier served as the vice-chairman of the National Commission for Minorities.
A native of Kottayam, Kurian, 63, is currently vice president of the BJP Kerala unit. A lawyer by profession, Kurian is a familiar face on TV debates and is often picked up to translate the speeches of Modi and Amith Shah during the party’s public events in the state. His induction into the Council of Ministers is seen as another bid by the BJP to get closer to the Christian community.
Kurian belongs to the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church, one of the most prominent Christian churches in Kerala. It had shown much interest in the feelers from the BJP in the past among various Christian groups. Suresh Gopi’s victory in Thrissur is partially attributed to support from a section of Christians, particularly Catholics.
Kurian has been with the BJP since its formation in 1980. He served as the state general secretary and the national secretary of the Bharatiya Yuva Morcha before getting a leadership position in the state BJP and has also been the party’s official spokesperson in the state. He also served as a member of the national executive of the party. Kurian started ideologically sailing with the Sangh Parivar in Kerala’s Christian belt at a time when the community was not on the BJP’s radar.
Senior BJP leader P K Krishnadas told the media that Kurian’s induction into the Council of Ministers was a major recognition for the state. “We have now two ministers from Kerala. It shows that Narendra Modi has given due consideration for the state,” he said.
During his tenure at the National Commission for Minorities, Kurian shared the concerns of the Christian community in Kerala on the “love jihad’’ controversy. In the 2016 Assembly elections, Kurian unsuccessfully contested on a BJP ticket from Puthuppally against then Chief Minister and Congress candidate Oommen Chandy. When BJP veteran O Rajagopal was a union minister with the Vajpayee government from 1999 to 2004, Kurian served as his officer on special duty.
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