It Is Not Governor's Prerogative: DMK Questions Tamil Nadu Governor's 'Reallocation' Move

The DMK on Friday questioned Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi's move to reallocate the portfolios held by arrested state Minister V Senthil Balaji.

"It is not his (Governor) prerogative. It is the Chief Minister's prerogative to appoint ministers," DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan told ANI.

It comes after R N Ravi re-allocated the portfolios held by arrested state Minister on the recommendations of Chief Minister M K Stalin. However, he has "not agreed" to the minister continuing in the cabinet, the Raj Bhavan said.

Reacting sharply to the Governor's decision, he said, "Does the Constitution permit him to say who should continue as Minister in the Cabinet? The Constitution does not say that," the DMK leader said. "He (V Senthil Balaji) is just an accused. There is no judgement as to his charge. He is not a convict. The accusation may be false," Elangovan, a senior DMK leader said.

With Balaji now becoming a minister without portfolio, Ravi opposed his continuing in the Stalin-led cabinet as he was facing criminal proceedings, a Raj Bhavan press release said.

Ravi "has not agreed to Thiru V Senthil Balaji continuing any longer as a Member of the Council of Ministers, as he is facing criminal proceedings for moral turpitude and is currently in Judicial custody," it said.

On Stalin's recommendations, the Electricity, Non-Conventional Energy Development portfolio held by Balaji has been allocated to Finance Minister Thangam Thennarsu, the release said.

Further, the subjects Prohibition and Excise, Molasses held by Balaji has been allocated to Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy.

Thennarau and Muthusamy will hold the new portfolios in addition to their existing ones.

AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said, "We genuinely believe that the continuation of him (Balaji) as a minister will impede the ongoing proceedings. Maybe that could be the reason why Governor would have taken that moral high ground...Senthil Balaji has no moral grounds to continue as a minister. He has to be sacked".

"If proceedings were initiated in the right direction, this Govt (DMK) is on its way to being dismissed very soon on corruption charges...," Sathyan said.

Balaji had been arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on Wednesday in a cash-for-jobs scam and is currently hospitalised.