DMK supporters put up posters questioning Guv Ravi in Chennai

CHENNAI: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) supporters on Friday put up wall posters in Chennai raising questions to Governor RN Ravi and alleging that there are Union Ministers who are still in the cabinet with several cases registered against them. The posters have been put near DMK headquarters at Anna Arivalayam in Teynampet, Chennai.

The posters list out the cases against Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led union government ministers adding that will Ravi write to Delhi to sack them from the union cabinet. This comes after Governor Ravi on Thursday decided to keep the dismissal order of the jailed DMK leader and state minister V Senthil Balaji in abeyance for the time being, sources said.

"Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi keeps the dismissal order of Minister V Senthil Balaji in abeyance. He will take the advice of the Attorney General on this matter," they said. Previously, the Governor dismissed Balaji from the Council of Ministers, days after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin had said the state government would challenge the governor's decision legally. Speaking to reporters, Stalin said, "Governor doesn't have the right (to dismiss a sitting minister) and we will face this legally. "In an official release, Raj Bhavan said, "Minister V Senthil Balaji is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of corruption cases including taking cash for jobs and money laundering...Under these circumstances, Governor has dismissed him from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect."

Balaji was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 in a cash-for-jobs scam. He was later admitted to a government hospital in Chennai after he complained of chest pains. He was allowed by the Madras High Court on June 15 to be shifted to a private hospital of his choice. Tamil Nadu Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Vice President Narayanan Thirupathy on Thursday said that by dismissing DMK leader Senthil Balaji from the State Council of Ministers, Governor RN Ravi has taken the right decision morally.