Reporter's diary: Portfolio reshuffle in TN’s power corridor

CHENNAI: The rise of minister-designate Udhayanidhi Stalin has opened a window of opportunity for a few more sulking ministers who were eyeing plum portfolios in the ruling DMK.

Grapevine has it that incumbent backward classes welfare minister Rajakannappan has made moves to secure an additional portfolio to compensate for the loss he had suffered earlier. Chief Minister MK Stalin had admonished him in March for making an alleged casteist remark against an officer.

Rajakannappan was divested of the resourceful transport portfolio and made the backward classes welfare minister, which has a relatively small purse. Speculation is rife in the DMK circles that he could get the additional charge of khadi portfolio, which is currently held by state handloom minister R Gandhi of Ranipet.

Another cabinet reshuffle that could turn heads on the corridors of power would likely involve State finance minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, who has been embarrassing the CM by publicly criticising cabinet colleagues. Unlike the other portfolio changes, which were politically motivated, the additional portfolio likely to be given to PTR is understood to have administrative reasons.

Sources privy to the ministerial realignment said that the statistics portfolio might be entrusted with PTR during the likely swapping of portfolios between State cooperation cum statistics minister I Periasamy and State rural development minister KR Periyakaruppan.