Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin is all set to make a major reshuffle of his cabinet on Tuesday or Wednesday. The rejig comes after several voices raised concerns about underperformance of ministers holding lucrative portfolios.
Sources said the reshuffle would see new faces like T.R.B. Raaja, Thamilarasi and Dr Ezhilan getting inducted into the cabinet. At least three ministers, including Milk and Dairy Development Minister Avadi Nasser and Adi Dravidian Welfare Minister Kayalvizhi Selvaraj, are likely to be dropped from the cabinet due to poor performance. Portfolios like health and family welfare, local administration, finance, industries and information technology will have new ministers as the existing ministers would be moved to other portfolios.
Sources say that this would be a major reshuffle as Stalin has been unhappy with the performance of most of the ministers. Also, the rejig comes at a time when the DMK, as a party and the government, is facing huge embarrassment after Tamil Nadu BJP leader released a purported audio clip involving P.T.R. Palanivel Thiaga Rajan discussing the corruption of the DMK first family.
Though there were several rounds of discussion to retain PTR as finance minister, sources say that Stalin was very unhappy with PTR and gave him an audience only after a long wait. PTR met Stalin only hours before the cabinet meeting on May 2. DMK insiders and highly placed sources in the government said PTR will be given Information Technology portfolio and Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu will replace him. Also, Water Resources Minister Durai Murugan will be moved to Law, Courts and Prisons department and S. Regupathy, who holds Law and Courts, is likely to become industries minister.
Likewise, Ma. Subramanian is likely to be shifted from Health and Family welfare portfolio and may take over as Municipal administration minister. Thousand Lights constituency MLA Dr Ezhilan will be made minister for health and family welfare. K.N. Nehru, who is the Municipal administration minister and one of the seniors in the cabinet, is likely to get revenue administration. Manamadurai constituency MLA A. Thamizharasi will replace Kayalvizhi as Adi Dravidar welfare minister.
