Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Wednesday effected a reshuffle of the State Cabinet by dropping three Ministers — N R Sivapathy, V S Vijay and Gokula Indira — and inducting three new faces — Vaigai Chelvan, T P Poonatchi and K C Veeramani.
She also shuffled the portfolios of P Chendur Pandian and K P Munusamy. Besides, she stripped the party posts of the three ministers who were dropped.
On April 2, 2012, Vaigai Chelvan, who was secretary of the AIADMK literary wing, was appointed the secretary of the party’s youth brigade. On October 8, 2012, he was appointed the Government Chief Whip. Now, he has been elevated as a Minister.
Vaigai Chelvan (45) hails from Arupukottai. He has a master degree in arts and a bachelor’s degree in law. Besides, he has a D Ed, D Litt and a Ph D. At present, Chelvan is the Government Chief Whip and secretary of the party’s youth brigade. He has penned many poems and composed over 30 film songs.
The portfolios of Law, Courts and Prisons, Personnel and Administrative Reforms and Prevention of Corruption, hitherto held by Sivapathy, have been allocated to Municipal Administration Minister Munusamy, as additional portfolios.
K C Veeramani (49) hails from Jolarpet. He is a businessman and holds a Bachelor’s degree in arts.
Veeramani (Jolarpet) has been allocated the portfolios of Health, Medical Education and Family Welfare.
Meanwhile, Vijay has been removed as the secretary of the party’s Vellore urban district.
S C Elumalai, secretary of the MGR Youth Wing, would replace Vijay.
Gokula Indira, secretary of the women’s wing of the AIADMK, has been removed from the post and made a party organising secretary.
N R Sivapathy, secretary of the AIADMK’s Tiruchy rural district, has been removed from the post and MLA R Manoharan, who is the present secretary of the party’s Tiruchy urban district unit, will look after the rural district till the appointment of a new office-bearer.
Poonatchi (62), a native of the Neyveli village, is an agriculturist by professions and he has studied up to Class VIII.