CHENNAI: A Dalit chief minister might be a distant reality in the current political scenario in Tamil Nadu, but the State is most likely to see a Dalit become its Higher Education Minister in less than a day.
Highly placed DMK sources disclosed to DT Next that Chief Minister MK Stalin has picked three-time MLA Govi Chezhian, representing Thiruvidaimaruthur reserve constituency in Thanjavur district, for the coveted Higher Education portfolio.
Chezhian would be one of the two new faces to be inducted into the cabinet on Sunday. Chezhian, who is currently the Chief Government Whip, would step into the shoes of K Ponmudy, a veteran who has been stripped off the portfolio and allotted a relatively insignificant Forest portfolio on Saturday by Chief Minister Stalin.
Sources confided to this paper that debutant minister R Rajendran, one of the DMK secretaries of Salem district and lone MLA from the native district of Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami, would be allotted Tourism portfolio, replacing K Ramachandran who has been dropped from the cabinet.
‘Avadi’ SM Nasar would likely be allotted Minorities Welfare portfolio, replacing ‘Gingee’ KS Masthan who has been shown the door by the DMK leadership.
Senthilbalaji may get Electricity, but says no to Prohibition and Excise
Sources privy to the portfolio discussions in the DMK revealed that V Senthilbalaji, who came out on bail Friday after 471-day incarceration in the money laundering case, would retain the Electricity portfolio he held prior to ‘quitting’ the cabinet following his arrest in June last year.
Interestingly, Prohibition & Excise portfolio would either remain with Minister S Muthusamy or be allotted to some other member of the Cabinet after Senthilbalaji expressed disinterest in the portfolio himself.