Buzz around TN Cabinet rejig fizzles out after CM Stalin’s reply

CHENNAI: The reported reshuffle in the state Cabinet, which has been doing the rounds since before the Parliamentary polls, has been deferred as the elevation of DMK youth wing secretary Udhayanidhi Stalin to deputy chief minister post was put on the back burner.

The buzz surrounding the ministerial rejig evaporated before noon Thursday after Chief Minister MK Stalin said, “Such information (related to reshuffle) did not reach me.”

However, highly placed party sources confided that a massive reshuffle, involving sacking of three sitting Ministers, including a senior, and change in portfolios of even a few senior Ministers was actively contemplated by the high command.

Highly placed DMK sources disclosed that state Handloom Minister R Gandhi, state Environment Minister V Meyyanathan, state Dairy Minister Mano Thangaraj and possibly state Labour Minister CVe Ganesan were on the hit list.

Sources admitted that the district secretary cum MLA ‘Panamarathupatty’ Rajendran of Salem, former minister ‘Avadi’ Nasar, Poonamallee MLA A Krishnasamy and district secretary from Thanjavur Durai Chandrasekar and party whip Govi Chezhian’s names were considered for induction in the Cabinet.

The most sensational of the speculations on the corridors of Anna Arivalayam was the stripping of a portfolio of a senior Minister within the first few ranks of the Cabinet pecking order.

“The high command actively considered divesting one of the top four Ministers of their portfolio and giving it to Udhayanidhi upon his elevation. But, the dust settled as soon as the leadership decided to defer the elevation,” said a highly placed source.

Unsurprisingly, it did not discourage the rumour mills from keeping the media on a hyper mode. DMK leaders with knowledge of the discussions disclosed that even the mining portfolio currently held by party general secretary Duraimurugan was among the portfolios considered for change.

The real shocker was the one involving Ministers EV Velu, K Ponmudy and KN Nehru. Going by information shared by party insiders, incumbent Higher Education Minister Ponmudy was understood to have eyed either highways or PWD portfolios, both held by Velu now.

A sulking Thangam Thennarasu, who reluctantly took over as Finance Minister over a year ago and state Backward Classes Welfare Minister RS Rajakannappan were also hoping that a desired change in portfolio would come their way when the reshuffle happened.

But, the high command was not keen on relieving Thennarasu of the finance portfolio till it found a ‘suitable’ and ‘efficient’ replacement like PTR.

Thursday’s audible conjectures, most of which emanated from Fort St George has at best helped briefly overshadow the headline value of actor Vijay’s party flag unveiling.