Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], April 28 (ANI): After Tamil Nadu Ministers Senthil Balaji and K Ponmudy were dropped from the state cabinet, Bharatiya Janata Party leader Tamilisai Soundarajan said that it is a “delayed decision” by the MK Stalin-led cabinet, saying that the ministers were removed only due to public compulsion and court’s condemnation.
“It is a delayed decision. The BJP has been demanding this for a very long time. This decision is out of compulsion. Senthil Balaji has been removed due to the court’s condemnation, and Ponmudy has been removed due to public pressure…Both of them have been removed not because of a courteous decision but because of a compulsive decision,” she told ANI.
She further expressed that just like the ‘expulsion’ of the ministers from the cabinet, it also symbolizes the expulsion of the DMK government in the 2026 election. Taking a jibe at the DMK government, she also suggested that they should hold their ministerial meeting in the prison itself.
“People are now aware that almost 7-8 ministers are elite because of corruption charges. In a lighter sense, I had said that if they want to have a council of ministers meeting, then they should conduct it either in the court or in the prison,” Soundarajan said.
On April 27, the Tamil Nadu government underwent a cabinet reshuffle, with Chief Minister M.K. Stalin recommending significant changes to the state cabinet, which Governor R.N. Ravi subsequently approved. V Senthil Balaji, the Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise, and Dr K Ponmudy, the Minister for Forests and Khadi, had also resigned from their posts.
Balaji’s removal followed a Supreme Court warning over his bail in a money laundering case, while Ponmudy was dropped due to his recent derogatory remarks that had sparked controversy.
Other changes in the cabinet include SS Sivasankar, the Minister for Transport, who has now been entrusted with the Additional portfolio of Electricity. He will henceforth serve as the Minister for Transport and Electricity. S Muthusamy, who was previously the Minister for Housing and Urban Development, has now been assigned the additional responsibility of Prohibition and Excise, making him the Minister for Housing and Prohibition and Excise.
RS Rajakannappan, who previously managed the Milk and Dairy Development, will now take charge of Forests and Khadi.
In addition to these reshuffles, T Mano Thangaraj, MLA from Padmanabhapuram, has also been inducted into the cabinet.
The swearing-in ceremony for the new ministers will take place later today at 6 PM at Raj Bhavan, Chennai. (ANI)
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