CHENNAI: The DMK govt in Tamil Nadu got two controversial cabinet members to resign Sunday – electricity and excise minister V Senthil Balaji, whom Supreme Court gave an ultimatum last week to either exit or forfeit bail in a money laundering case, and forest minister K Ponmudy, in the dock for his purportedly disparaging remarks about women and Hindu symbols.
Both ministers handed their resignation letters to governor R N Ravi, who accepted these immediately. Raj Bhavan issued a statement soon after, saying CM M K Stalin had recommended to the governor that their resignations be accepted.
While Balaji was censured by SC last Wednesday, Ponmudy’s remarks about women and symbols raised the hackles of Madras HC, which asked police to file an FIR against him.
Housing minister S Muthusamy has been assigned the additional portfolios of excise and prohibition that Balaji used to handle. Muthusamy had been overseeing both when Balaji was sent to prison in 2023.
Swearing-in of TN mantris scheduled for 6pm today: Guv office
The latter got them back on being reinstated as minister soon after coming out on bail.
Transport minister S S Sivasankar has been given additional charge of the electricity department, while dairy development minister R S Rajakannappan will handle the forest portfolio. This is the third change in portfolio for Rajakannappan, as he had been shifted from the transport ministry to backward classes and then to dairy department.
Former dairy development minister T Manothangaraj, who was removed from the cabinet last year, was re-inducted into the cabinet without a portfolio. Mano Thangaraj is the other minister to be brought back. Last year, minorities welfare minister S M Nasar returned to the cabinet. The swearing-in ceremony of the ministers-designate is scheduled for 6pm Monday, Raj Bhavan said. Tamil Nadu goes to polls in a year.
