CHENNAI: Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise V. Senthil Balaji and Minister for Forests and Khadi K. Ponmudy have stepped down as ministers. The portfolios previously managed by them have been redistributed among Ministers SS Sivasankar, S. Muthusamy, and R.S. Rajakannappan.
Governor R.N. Ravi has accepted the recommendations made by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin to accept the resignation of the two ministers and to reallocate their portfolios to three other ministers.
Additionally, the Chief Minister has recommended inducting T. Mano Thangaraj, a former minister who represents the Padmanabhapuram Assembly constituency, into the Cabinet. He will be sworn in at a ceremony to be held at the Raj Bhavan on Monday, April 28.
While Balaji resigned following a directive from the Supreme Court, Ponmudy stepped down due to his recent controversial remarks, which put the DMK government in an embarrassing position.
According to a Raj Bhavan communique, Sivasankar has been given the electricity portfolio in addition to the transport portfolio he has been holding. Sivasankar has been designated as Minister for Transport and Electricity.
Similarly, Minister for Housing and Urban Development S. Muthusamy has been given the prohibition and excise portfolios, which were previously under Senthil Balaji, in addition to his existing portfolios. He has been designated as Minister for Housing, Prohibition, and Excise.
Minister for Milk and Dairy Development R.S. Rajakannappan has been given the Forests and Khadi portfolios, previously overseen by Ponmudy. Rajakannappan has been redesignated as Minister for Forests and Khadi.