CHENNAI: The much-anticipated elevation of DMK scion Udhayanidhi Stalin as Deputy Chief Minister and the cabinet reshuffle was announced on Saturday night. Apart from being the Deputy CM, Udhayanidhi will additionally handle the portfolios of Planning and Development.
As part of the rejig, former ministers V Senthil Balaji, who recently got bail after prolonged incarceration in a money laundering case, and SM Nasar, who was dropped from the cabinet last year, are being reinducted. Govi Chezhian, the MLA of Thiruvidaimarudur reserved constituency, who is also the chief government whip in the Assembly, and R Rajendran, who is the Salem North MLA, are becoming ministers.
Meanwhile, three ministers have been dropped from the cabinet -- Milk and Dairy Development Minister Mano Thangaraj, Minister for Tourism K Ramachandran and Minorities Welfare and Non Resident Tamils Welfare Minister Gingee KS Masthan.
A release from the Raj Bhavan said that the Governor has accepted the recommendations of Chief Minister MK Stalin regarding the cabinet changes. The swearing-in ceremony of the four minister designates will take place on Sunday at 3.30 pm, the release said.
The reshuffle also involved major portfolio changes. The portfolio of Higher Education has been taken away from K Ponmudy. He will be the Minister of Forests. Forests Minister M Mathiventhan has been assigned the portfolio of Adi Dravidar and Tribal Welfare, which is presently being held by N Kayalvizhi Selvaraj. Selvaraj will now handle the portfolios of Human Resources Management (HRM) and Ex-servicemen Welfare.
Thangam Thennarasu, who is presently holding HRM along with Finance, will handle Environment, Pollution Control Board and Climate Change in addition to Finance and Archaeology subjects, the Raj Bhavan release said.
RS Rajakannappan, who is handling Backward Classes Welfare, will be the new minister for Milk and Dairy Development, Khadi and Village Industries. Siva V Meyyanathan will handle BC, MBC and DNC Welfare with his present portfolio of Environment and Climate Change being given to Thennarasu.
With the reshuffle, the number of Dalit ministers in the Cabinet has increased from three to four. Chezhian, who belongs to a Scheduled Caste, is rumoured to get the portfolio of Higher Education, which has been taken away from Ponmudy.
After the swearing-in ceremony on Sunday, few more portfolio changes are expected since thew newly inducted ministers are yet to be assigned portfolios.