Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) was relieved from his role of the Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu on Thursday and replaced by Thangam Thennarasu, according to the press release from Raj Bhavan. The former banker-turned politician, Rajan, was given the Information Technology Department and digital services in a major cabinet reshuffle of the council of ministers in Tamil Nadu government by CM M K Stalin. Thangam Thennarasu, a senior member of the cabinet, will now handle Finance and Human Resource Management Ministry of the state.
“The past two years have been the most fulfilling in my life. Under the leadership of CM M.K Stalin, I presented one revised budget (’21 - ’22) during the pandemic, and two annual budgets (’22 – ’23, ’23 – ’24) post-pandemic,” Rajan wrote on Twitter.
“Despite inheriting record deficits and debt ratios, we have invested in a record number of social welfare schemes as well as record capital spending, all while delivering record-setting fiscal improvements. This is the epitome of my public service, and indeed of my life,” he added.
The industries portfolio, which was previously being handled by the Thennarasu, will now be handled by T R B Raaja, a three-time legislator from Mannargudi constituency who was newly inducted into the Council of Ministers.
The reshuffle move came after two audio clips criticising DMK and CM Stalin were leaked by Tamil Nadu BJP chief Annamalai on his social media accounts. Allegedly, the speaker in the clips was PTR.
"The CM's son and son-in-law take away a bulk of the spoils," the speaker was heard saying in one of the clips. He was also heard praising BJP for its “one man, one post" policy, stating that those who look after the party and who look after the people are clearly distinguished.
In another audio clip, Palavivel Thiaga Rajan was heard saying that Stalin’s son Udhayanidhi Stalin and his son-in-law Sabareesan have piled up Rs 30,000 crore in illegal assets.
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