CHENNAI: In a major cabinet reshuffle, Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday shifted out Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) from key portfolios of finance and human resources management to information technology and made Thangam Thennarasu the new finance minister of Tamil Nadu.
As expected, TRB Rajaa, who was sworn in as minister on Thursday, was given industries portfolio. T Mano Thangaraj will be the minister for milk and dairy development — portfolios hitherto held by SM Nasar who was dropped from the cabinet on Tuesday. Information Minister M P Saminathan was given additional portfolio of Tamil development.
Later in the day, speaking at a function organised to mark signing of a pact with Hyundai Motor India Limited, the CM said the portfolios of some ministers were changed for administrative reasons. PTR will now handle information technology and digital services.
Minutes after the Raj Bhavan’s statement on change of portfolios was released, PTR thanked the CM for the opportunity to serve as finance minister and for allocating information technology portfolio to him now. In a twitter post, PTR also recalled his tenure as Tamil Nadu finance minister and said he would do his best in the new assignment too.
PTR also said, “I wish the incoming finance minister Thangam Thennarasu great success and many more achievements as he assumes responsibility today. I am sure he will accelerate the progress already made and achieve new records.” The new finance and human resources management minister Thennarasu will handle planning, pensions, statistics, and archaeology.
Changing portfolio is prerogative of CM, says Mano Thangaraj
Incidentally, the change in PTR’s portfolio came weeks after the release of two audio clips attributed to him in which allegations were made about the chief minister’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin and son-in-law Sabareesan. Rajan had stoutly denied making any such statement and said the audio clips were fabricated. The CM also sought to downplay the issue by saying that he did not want to speak anything about it as it would give publicity to those engaged in cheap politics. The second audio clip was released by BJP state president K Annamalai.
Earlier in the day, TRB Rajaa, a three-time DMK MLA from Mannargudi Assembly constituency, was sworn in as minister at a brief function held in the Raj Bhavan. Governor RN Ravi administered the oath of office and secrecy to Rajaa in the presence of the CM. Rajaa will be accompanying the CM when he visits foreign countries to bring in investments from May 23.
Answering questions of reporters, Rajaa said he would discharge his duties as industries minister diligently and in a responsible manner. A sked about the speculation that BJP’s allegations were the reason for the change of portfolios of ministers, Mano Thangaraj said changing portfolios of ministers is the prerogative of the CM and such changes have happened in the past too.
M P Saminathan, minister for information, has been given Tamil development, previously handled by Thangam Thennarasu, as additional portfolio. Saminathan will now be handling Tamil Official Language and Tamil culture, information and publicity, film technology and Cinematograph Act, newsprint control, stationery and printing and government press.
Portfolios changed for admin reasons: Stalin
CM said the portfolios of some ministers were changed for administrative reasons. PTR thanked CM Stalin for the opportunity to serve as FM and for allocating IT portfolio to him