Tamil Nadu ministers Senthil Balaji, K Ponmudy resign: What's behind the DMK shake-up?

Indian Express

27-04-2025

In a reshuffle carried out amid legal scrutiny and political turbulence within the DMK, senior Tamil Nadu government ministers V Senthil Balaji and K Ponmudy resigned on Sunday, with Governor R N Ravi accepting their resignations after acting upon the recommendations of Chief Minister M K Stalin.
The reshuffle, meant to project the DMK government's efforts to project stability amid mounting controversies and judicial scrutiny, had been anticipated following a week of speculation. It comes after the Supreme Court directed Balaji to choose between retaining his Cabinet post and safeguarding his bail in an ongoing money laundering case. Ponmudy, meanwhile, was under sustained fire from the Madras High Court and within the DMK as well as outside over derogatory remarks about religious symbols and women, a controversy that escalated into a political problem for the Stalin administration.
Balaji returned to the Cabinet almost immediately after the Supreme Court released him on bail last September, following 15 months in prison in an alleged cash-for-jobs scam case during his tenure as Transport Minister in the previous AIADMK government. Balaji got back his old portfolios of Electricity and Excise after returning to the Cabinet. Though Balaji was credited as a key electoral strategist, especially in the DMK's 2022 urban local body sweep, his continued presence in the Cabinet became untenable after the top court's directive on April 24.
The resignation of Ponmudy, the Forest Minister who was once considered to hold the sixth position in the Cabinet hierarchy, marks a major change. While his resignation was expected in party circles, Balaji's resignation couldn't have been avoided if his bail had to be continued.
Top DMK sources said Balaji might now be tasked with strengthening the DMK's campaign machinery in the state's politically crucial western region ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections, where the party has long faced stiff competition.
'Ponmudy's speech making derogatory references to Shaivite and Vaishnavite symbols was a huge embarrassment. He was immediately removed from the party deputy general secretary post and the leadership has decided to remove him from the Cabinet too. Balaji's resignation follows a strong warning from the SC to resign or face the possibility of having his bail revoked in the ongoing money laundering case and the 'cash-for-jobs scam',' said a senior DMK leader.
In the interim reshuffle, Transport Minister S S Sivasankar has been assigned additional charge of Electricity, while Housing and Urban Development Minister S Muthusamy will handle Prohibition and Excise. Milk and Dairy Development Minister R S Rajakannappan has been redesignated as Minister for Forests and Khadi, a move widely seen as a strategic placement of a leader known for administrative competence.
Adding a fresh face to the cabinet, former Minister T Mano Thangaraj will be sworn in on Monday at Raj Bhavan. He will take charge of the Milk and Dairy Development portfolio. The appointment of Thangaraj, from the northern region, is expected to help the DMK consolidate support in that area.
The reshuffle also reflects the DMK's efforts to retain control of sensitive portfolios at a time when the state-run liquor retailer, TASMAC, is under investigation by the Enforcement Directorate. With Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu declining to take up the Electricity portfolio again, citing workload, the reallocation highlights the challenges facing the government as it navigates legal probes, public controversies, and the perennial balancing act of regional representation.