Four new cabinet ministers in Tamil Nadu, including V. Senthilbalaji, took oath on Sunday. Senthilbalaji, who was in jail in a money laundering case related to alleged irregularities in the appointment of employees in the Transport Department, has been released on bail by the Supreme Court a few days ago. Governor R. N. Ravi administered the oath of office and secrecy to the new ministers in a brief ceremony held at Raj Bhavan around 3.30 pm. Meanwhile, Udhayanidhi Stalin has been made the new Deputy CM of the state.
The Governor first administered the oath of office and secrecy to R Rajendran, representing Salem North constituency, after the singing of the national anthem and Tamil Thai Vazhathu (Tamil Mother’s Prayer). He was followed by Senthilbalaji (elected from Arkavakurichi), who returned to the cabinet after a gap of seven months, and Govi, elected from Thiruvidaimaruthur. Chezhiyan and Avadi MLA S.M. Nasser took the oath.
Nasser has also returned to the cabinet, having been dropped in the earlier reshuffle. The swearing-in ceremony lasted for about 10 to 15 minutes. Chief Minister MK Stalin, his son and Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, ministers and leaders of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) alliance parties were present on the occasion.
Immediately after the swearing-in, the Governor announced the portfolios of the new ministers. Senthilbalaji was allotted the electricity, prohibition and excise departments, which he held until he was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 last year in a money laundering case. After that, after working in the cabinet without any department for almost eight months, he resigned from the post of minister in February this year.
Senthilbalaji returned to the cabinet three days after being released on bail. The portfolio was held by minister S Muthusamy, who was allotted to him after Senthilbalaji’s resignation. Now it has been re-allocated to Senthilbalaji. Dr Chezhiyan has been made the Higher Education Minister, Rajendran has been allotted the Tourism Ministry and Nassar has been made the Minority Welfare and Non-Resident Tamil Welfare Minister.
After the program, new Deputy Chief Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin paid homage at the memorials of DMK founder and late Chief Minister C N Annadurai and DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi. In the much-awaited cabinet reshuffle by the Chief Minister, three sitting ministers were shown the door. Late last night, portfolios of some ministers were changed in the state and Udhayanidhi Stalin was made the Deputy Chief Minister. This is the fifth reshuffle of the Tamil Nadu cabinet after the DMK returned to power after a gap of 10 years with a thumping majority in the 2021 assembly elections and Stalin became the chief minister for the first time.
