TRB Rajaa sworn in as minister, Palanivel shifted to IT ministry in Tamil Nadu cabinet reshuffle

MK Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Thursday enlarged his cabinet on Wednesday. This is the second time since assuming his office on May 7, 2021 that he has expanded his cabinet.

In the expansion, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) was discharged from his duties as the Finance and Human Resources Management portfolio and was instead made the Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services. Palanivel was replaced by the Minister for Industries, Thangam Thennarasu who has been made the Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management.

Palanivel Thiaga Rajan took to Twitter and thanked Chief Minister M K Stalin for his new assignment as Minister for Information Technology and stated that he was “grateful” on Twitter. The move comes after Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai released a number of audio tapes supposedly of Palanivel Thiaga Rajan where he’s allegedly heard blaming CM MK Stalin’s family for “corruption”.

Stalin also said in his recent question-and-answer series ‘Ungalin Oruvan’, where the Tamil Nadu chief minister answers various questions on various political events, that he does not want to “publicize people who indulge in cheap politics”.

Key changes in Tamil Nadu cabinet

In today’s Tamil Nadu cabinet reshuffle MP Saminathan, the Minister of Information and Publicity has also been given the portfolio of the Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture, Archeology.

Another addition to the Cabinet was the introduction of Dravida Munnetra Kazhgam (DMK) legislator TRB Rajaa who got sworn in as a Minister this morning. The oath ceremony for the office and secrecy of Mannargudi MLA was administered by Governor RN Ravi as the ceremony was attended by Chief Minister MK Stalin and others.

Rajaa will now handle the Industries portfolio. TRB Rajaa is a three-time MLA from Mannargudi who was previously appointed as DMK’s NRI wing secretary and later as the IT wing secretary. On the other hand, Minister of Information and Publicity, has also been given the Tamil Official Language and Tamil Culture, Archaeology.

Former Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services, Mano Thangaraj, was assigned the Milk and Dairy Development Portfolio. This was the first time when DMK decided to drop its minister from Cabinet since it was elected to power in Tamil Nadu.

Governor RN Ravi on Tuesday approved the recommendation of Tamil Nadu CM Stalin to take Mano Thangaraj into the council of ministers and drop incumbent Dairy Minister SM Nasar.

The removal of Nasar and the introduction of Rajaa has set the strength of the Council of Ministers to a maximum number as per the Tamil Nadu Assembly rules, the highest approved strength of the Council of Ministers stands at 15 percent of the total members in the house.

Tamil Nadu assembly can have a total of 35 ministers in 234 member house.

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