Chennai:
Tamil Nadu Ministers V Senthil Balaji and K Ponmudy have resigned from the M K Stalin-led state cabinet and the Governor has accepted the same, the Raj Bhavan said on Sunday.
Governor R N Ravi has approved Chief Minister Stalin’s recommendation to accept their resignation, a Raj Bhavan communique said.
Senthil Balaji, facing ED probe, had been asked by the Supreme Court on Wednesday to make a choice “between post and freedom” as it warned him of cancelling bail if he did not step down as minister.
K Ponmudy had courted a major controversy over his Shaivite-Vaishnavite remarks made in the context of a sex worker, drawing widespread criticism, even as the Madras High Court later initiated proceedings on its own on the matter.
Though he had been removed from a key party post, there were demands from opposition parties and other quarters, for his ouster from the cabinet.
Transport Minister S S Sivasankar will handle Electricity portfolio, held by Senthil Balaji. Further, Housing Minister S Muthusamy has been allotted Excise and Prohibition, also held by Senthil Balaji.
R S Rajakannappan has been allotted K Ponmudy’s Forests and Khadi, in addition to his existing Milk and Dairy Development portfolio, the release said.
Further, the Governor has accepted the CM’s recommendation to include Padmanabhapuram MLA T Mano Thangaraj in the cabinet, it said. He was dropped in an earlier shuffle of the cabinet.
The swearing-in of the minister designate will be held at 6 PM on Monday, it added.
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