CHENNAI: Following the intervention and censure of the Supreme Court, Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi on Friday reinducted K Ponmudy as a minister at a simple function held at the Raj Bhavan in the presence of Chief Minister MK Stalin and few of his cabinet colleagues.
The SC, on Thursday, gave 24 hours to the governor to decide on the issue.
Soon after the ceremony, Chief Minister MK Stalin thanked the Supreme Court on behalf of the people of Tamil Nadu for its timely intervention and for “upholding the spirit of the constitution and saving the democracy”.
In a message on the social media platform X (formerly Twitter), he said, "In the last decade, the people of #INDIA witnessed the dithering of democracy, withering of federalism and misadventures to put spikes before the functioning of sovereign governments elected by the people and giving age-old traditions a go by”.
Terming the 2024 election as crucial to saving the democracy, he said “Let us strive hard to prevent the brazen abuse of the power by fascist forces threatening to ruin our glorious nation”.
Bouquets
The DMK has been severely critical of the Governor, especially after the latter refused to swear in Ponmudy even after his conviction in a disproportionate assets case was set aside by the Supreme Court.
The Governor’s alleged confrontational approach towards the government has attracted criticism from the Supreme Court on few occasions.
The swearing-in ceremony was, however, devoid of any display of mutual bitterness. After being sworn in as a Minister, Ponmudy presented a bouquet to the Governor and the Governor reciprocated the same, exchanging smiles.
When Stalin was about to present a bouquet to the Governor, Ravi asked him to present it instead to Ponmudy. After the ceremony ended with the national anthem, Governor shook hands with the CM and briefly exchanged pleasantries. .
Ponmudy has been re-inducted as the minister of higher education. He has been allocated the subjects of higher education, including technical education, electronics, science and technology, all of which are currently held by the minister for backward classes welfare RS Rajakannappan.
Earlier in the day, the governor wrote to the Chief Minister conveying that he has accepted his recommendation to swear in Ponmudy and to allocate the portfolio of Khadi and Village Industries Board hitherto held by Handlooms and Textiles Minister R Gandhi to RS Rajakannappan.