Reshuffle ticks many if not all boxes; 4 Dalits in TN Cabinet send social justice message to allies
By infusing young energy, and showing indiscipline its place, Chief Minister Stalin calls the shots in the rejig
L-R: Chief Minister M K Stalin and Governor R N Ravi with debutant minister Dr Govi Chezhiaan. The Dalit leader has been allocated the coveted higher education portfolio (Photo: Manivasagan.N)
CHENNAI: From addressing social justice concerns of sympathisers and allies to showing indiscipline its rightful place in the party, Chief Minister MK Stalin has hit many birds with one stone in Sunday's cabinet reshuffle.
Stalin's ministerial shake-up fits the bill, taking into account how it addresses the aspirations of the newbies too. The best illustration of the efficacy of the reshuffle was the allocation of the higher education portfolio to Thiruvidaimaruthur (SC) MLA Govi Chezhiaan.
Awarding another full-time ministerial berth to a member hailing from the Delta, adding on to the induction of Industry minister TRB Rajaa from Mannargudi even though he is identified more as a Chennai person, ahead of the 2026 Assembly polls sits well with the Chief Minister's indelible identity with the region. But it goes more than Stalin’s favourite slogan that he is a Delta man justification. Chezhiaan's elevation has silenced critics trying to flag a lack of social justice compliance in the Cabinet composition. Higher Education portfolio allocated to a Dalit legislator (Chezhiaan) ever since the bifurcation of the education department in the 2006-11 DMK regime was Stalin's 'affirmative' response to critics wondering why people hailing from the Scheduled Castes were only made Adi Dravidar Welfare ministers, slamming that there is nothing more in their Periyar-inspired Dravidian model government.
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Equally seen as commendable is the allotment of a Human Resources portfolio to the lone women minister Kayalvizhi Selvaraj and Adi Dravidar welfare to a young M Mathiventhan who hails from the Arundathiyar community. Add incumbent Labour Minister C Ve Ganesan, also a Dalit, representation for Scheduled Castes members in Stalin's cabinet has exceeded 10%, a fact that would appease allies like Thol Thirumavalavan's VCK which has been keeping the ‘Dalit CM’ debate alive to the extent of annoying the DMK. No wonder Chezhiaan's elevation found instant appreciation from TNCC president K Selvaperunthagai, hailing from a Dalit community, who dubbed it as a good beginning.
In the same breath, snatching higher education from K Ponmudy and awarding him a relatively insignificant Forest portfolio is a message to rank old timers going easy on their job and ministerial obligations. Ponmudy was stated to have been given the sack as much for his questionable performance as Higher Education Minister as his not-so-impressive contribution to the party in the recent Lok Sabha and Vikravandi bypoll.
Political shortcomings are said to be the undoing of Mano Thangaraj and Gingee Masthan. While Mano earned the wrath of the high command for fuelling turbulence in the Kanniyakumari DMK unit, Masthaan was shown the door after he was found wanting during the Vikravandi bypoll and Lok Sabha polls.
The high command assuaged a sulking Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu by awarding him the Environment portfolio after divesting him of the additional responsibility of electricity which has now been returned to an all-influential V Senthilbalaji. That loyalty and friendship could be currencies for political aggrandisement was palpable in the re-induction of SM Nasar, a friend of Stalin, and the elevation of R Rajendran, a long-time Stalin loyalist.
In Rajendran, the lone MLA from Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami's native Salem district, the DMK leadership might have identified an instrument to wield power and lure voters to tilt the political balance there. Will Rajendran, a Vanniyar, metamorphose into a game changer or just a flash in the pan would be known in 2026. But it is still a long-delayed exercise for the DMK to negate the influence of AIADMK general secretary Edappadi Palaniswami in one of its erstwhile strongholds with a high concentration of Vanniyars.
The change of portfolio for Raja Kannappan from BC/MBC welfare to Dairy development was also believed to be an outcome of 'superfluity' he showed in vainly trying to secure a plum portfolio at the cost of another senior incumbent minister.