Chennai, Apr 27 (UNI) As was widely expected, senior Tamil Nadu Ministers V Senthilbalaji and

K Ponmudy, who were severely indicted by the courts on case of corruption and impropriety/hate speech respectively, resigned, even as former Minister T Mano Thangaraj was re-instated into the Tamil Nadu Cabinet, on Sunday night.

The resignations of the two Ministers and the re-induction of Mr Mano Thangaraj were accepted by Governor R N Ravi on recommendations from Chief Minister M K Stalin, a Raj Bhavan comunique said.

The portfolios Electricity, Prohibition and Excise held by the Mr Senthilbalaji and the Department of Forests and Khadi held by Mr Ponmudy, whose continuance has caused great embarrassment, besides immense political and legal pressure on the ruling DMK in the wake of recent developments

against them, were allotted to three Ministers with additional responsibilities.

The swearing-in ceremony of Mr Thangaraj would take place at Raj Bhavan tomorrow evening.

This was for the second time Senthilbalaji, the Karur strongman of the DMK, who is also in the dock after the recent ED raids had unearthed a Rs 1,000 crore scam, apart from the Supreme Court's indictment making his continuance untenable, and Ponmudy, considered the party's Villuppuram heavyweight, have resigned from their Ministerial posts.

After getting reprieves from the courts, both of them were re-inducted into the Cabinet only last year after Mr Senthilbalaji had resigned as Minister without portfolio and Mr Ponmudy had quit as he faced diqualification following his conviction in a corruption case .

Mr Senthilbalaji, who was re-inducted into the Cabinet with the same portfolios of Electricity, Prohibition and Excise, was given an ultimatum by the Supreme Court till Monday (tomorrow) to decide on whether he favoured the Minister post or bail after he was arrested under PMLA in

the cash for jobs scam in June 23, while Mr Ponmudy--the former Higher Education Minister--

was facing suo motu proceedings initiated by the Madras High Court for his recent derogatory

and uncivilised remarks against women linking to Hindu religion and after the police did not

register FIR against him despite the court orders issued a couple of days back.

This resulted in strong condemnation from Opposition parties, following which he was removed

from the post of DMK Deputy General Secretary by Mr Stalin himself a few days back.

The communique said Transport Minister S S Sivasankar was given the additional portfolio of Electricity held by Mr Senthilbalaji, who was strongly indicted by the Apex Court for becoming

Minister within two days after his release on bail by Supreme Court after his arrest by ED in a

PMLA case in June 2023. He was designated as Minister for Transport and Electricity.

The other portfolio of Prohibition and Excise held by Mr Senthilbalaji was additionally allotted to Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy (who had held it earlier, when Mr Balaji resigned in February last year after being pulled by the Apex Court for remaining as Minister

without portfolio despite his arrest in a PMLA case) and he was designated as Minister for Housing and Prohibition and Excise.

The portfolios of Forests and Khadi held by Ponmudy was additionally allotted to Milk and Dairy Development Minister R.S.Rajakannappan, who was designated as Minister for Forests and Khadi.

Mr Mano Thangaraj would get the same portfolios of Milk and Dairy Development earlier held by

him after being sworn in for the second time tomorrow.

(ED : PICK UP SUITABLY FROM EARLIER SERIES).

UNI GV 2140