Tamil Nadu minister row: Governor demands dropping of Senthil Balaji from cabinet

Tamil Nadu Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy has slammed Governor RN Ravi for demanding the axing of Senthil Balaji from the cabinet minister. Ravi had rejected the allocation of Balaji's portfolios to two other ministers and had written back to the Government that the reasons given for that were incorrect and misleading. -- Reports ETV Bharat's MC Rajan.

Chennai: In a fresh round of confrontation between the Raj Bhavan and the DMK government of MK Stalin, Governor RN Ravi has returned the recommendation to allocate the portfolios of arrested minister Senthil Balaji to two other ministers. While the Chief Minister has retained him as a minister without portfolio, the governor had pressed for his removal from the ministry.

At a hurriedly convened press meet, Higher Education Minister K Ponmudy charged the governor with acting as a hit man of the BJP and that his actions amounted to interference in the administration. “Portfolio changes are informed to the governor as per convention and his consent and assent is not necessary. On the Chief Minister's recommendation regarding re-allocation of portfolios, the Governor has written back to the government stating that the reasons proffered are misleading and incorrect,” he said.

Yet, responding, the Chief Minister has cited business rules and explained them to the governor. “We hoped that this portfolio changes would be accepted. The Governor's role is only for inducting someone into the ministry. Portfolio allocation and reallocation are the prerogatives of the Chief Minister,” he explained. For the portfolio changes, the Chief Minister had cited Balaji's health condition and hospitalisation but had not informed about his arrest and remaining in judicial custody.

While the BJP and the opposition maintain that Stalin has suppressed the information of Balaji's arrest, the DMK and analysts as well as legal experts, citing previous instances, argue that there is nothing wrong in his continuing as a minister without a portfolio. The case of Satyendra Jain remaining as a minister for many months despite being incarcerated is also pointed out for justification. Late DMK veteran Murasoli Maran was a minister in the Vajpayee cabinet despite his indisposition and treatment in the US. Similarly, Jayalalithaa too remained the Chief Minister, even though she was in the hospital till she passed away.

With Stalin and the DMK as well its allies rallying behind Balaji, the Governor returning the recommendation for portfolio changes has given a handle to the opposition to beat the Stalin government. The opposition was highly critical of Stalin visiting Balaji in the hospital. Senthil Balaji was holding the Electricity and Prohibition and Excise departments. Stalin had entrusted Electricity to Finance Minister Thangam Thennarsau and Prohibition and Excise to Housing Minister S Muthuisamy.