Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin on Thursday expanded his cabinet for the second time since assuming office on May 7, 2021.
Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) was divested of the Finance and Human Resources Management portfolio and made the Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services in the reshuffle of the Tamil Nadu Cabinet. Thangam Thennarasu, who was the Minister for Industries, has been made the Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management in place of PTR.
Taking to Twitter today, PTR said that he is “grateful” to Chief Minister M K Stalin for assigning him the portfolio of Information Technology.
Recently, the Bharatiya Janata Party Tamil Nadu chief K Annamalai recently released audio tapes purportedly of Palanivel Thiaga Rajan accusing Chief Minister MK Stalin’s family of “corruption”.
PTR has, however, refuted allegations made in the audio clips and called them “false” and “fabricated”.
Stalin also during his recent ‘Ungalin Oruvan’ question and answer series in which the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister responds to various questions relating to various political developments had said he does not want to “publicize those indulging in cheap politics.”
Meanwhile, in today’s Cabinet reshuffle MP Saminathan, the Minister of Information and Publicity, has been additionally allotted the Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture, Archaeology.
Also, Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (DMK) legislator TRB Rajaa was sworn in as a Minister in the Tamil Nadu Cabinet this morning.
Governor RN Ravi administered the oaths of office and secrecy to the Mannargudi MLA, Rajaa at a ceremony in the Raj Bhavan in Chennai attended by Chief Minister M K Stalin and others.
Rajaa has been allocated the Industries portfolio. The three-time MLA from Mannargudi. He was earlier appointed the DMK’s NRI wing secretary and later the IT wing secretary.
MP Saminathan, the Minister of Information and Publicity, has been additionally allotted the Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture, Archaeology.
Mano Thangaraj, the Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services has been reassigned the Milk and Dairy Development portfolio.
This is the first time that DMK has dropped its minister from the Cabinet since it was elected to power in Tamil Nadu.
On Tuesday, Governor RN Ravi approved the recommendation of Stalin to induct him into the council of ministers and drop incumbent Dairy Minister SM Nasar.
With the removal of Nasar and the addition of Raja the strength of the Council of Ministers remains at the maximum number as according to the Tamil Nadu Assembly rules, the maximum approved strength of the Council of Ministers is 15 per cent of the total number of members in the house.
The 234-member Tamil Nadu assembly can have 35 ministers. (ANI)
