TN CM accepts Poongothai's resignation

Chennai, May 20 (UNI) Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi today accepted the resignation submitted by Social Welfare Minister Dr Poongothai after she was caught in a telephone tapping controversy.

Official sources here said the Chief Minister after accepting the resignation allotted her portfolio to Animal Husbandry Minister Geeta Jeevan, who has been redesignated as Minister for Social Welfare.

Forest Minister Pongalur Palanisamy has been allotted the Animal Husbandry headed by Mrs Geeta Jeevan. He has been redesignated as Minister for Rural Industries and Aninal Husbandry.

Dr Poongothai had submitted her resignation on May 14 after admitting that she had spoken to a Vigilance Officer about a corruption case involving an electricity board assistant engineer related to her.

A tapped version of Dr Poongothai's conversation with the vigilance officer had been disclosed to the media by Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy last week.

The Chief Minister had informed the Assembly that he was ashamed of the minister's conduct in taking up the cause of a person involved in corruption.

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