Latest news with #SenthilBalaji
New Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Senthil Balaji intensifies preparations in Western districts ahead of TN assembly election 2026
TIRUPPUR: Intensifying the preparations for the upcoming Assembly elections, DMK West Zone in-charge and former minister V Senthil Balaji met DMK functionaries in Tiruppur and instructed them to expedite the election duties, on Thursday. Sources said that Balaji, who was previously in charge of Karur and Coimbatore districts, has now been appointed as the in charge of West Zone districts by the DMK leadership. As a result, the charge of Coimbatore, Tiruppur, Nilgiris, Erode, Namakkal and Karur districts for the elections have been handed over to Balaji, covering a total of 35 constituencies. In Tiruppur, Avinashi, Tiruppur North, Tiruppur South and Palladam constituencies are under Balaji, while Dharapuram, Kangeyam, Madathukulam and Udumalaipet constituencies have been assigned to Food and Civil Supplies Minister R Sakkarapani. Reportedly, Balaji is now holding secret consultations and meetings with DMK functionaries in the West Zone districts. Reporters have been barred from these meetings, and Balaji has also been avoiding press meets. On Thursday, Balaji met Tiruppur East and North district functionaries separately, gave suggestions, and also advised them to expedite election works. Speaking to TNIE, N Dinesh Kumar, district secretary of Tiruppur North, said, "This is purely an election-related consultation meeting. Senthil Balaji gave instructions to party functionaries to expedite election works." Reportedly, Balaji also issued instructions to quickly identify strong and weak polling booths and address them. "Balaji has instructed that all preparatory works be completed and ready by the end of January 2026, as the election date is likely to be announced by February," a DMK functionary said. Further, party functionaries said Balaji, who met party functionaries in Erode two days ago, instructed district secretaries to remove non-performing functionaries from their posts and appoint new active functionaries. In 2021, the AIADMK-led alliance won 44 out of 68 seats in 10 districts in the Kongu region. It won all 10 seats in Coimbatore district, and five of eight seats in Tiruppur. In Erode, the AIADMK alliance had won five of eight seats. "This will change in the upcoming Assembly election. Balaji is formulating strategies for this," said a senior DMK functionary.
New Indian Express
19-05-2025
- Politics
- New Indian Express
Senthil Balaji resigns, but continues to wield influence behind the scenes?
'Power' of politics Former electricity minister Senthil Balaji resigned after the Supreme Court's order, but there's chatter he's still in control behind the scenes. Just a few days ago, senior officials were spotted at his home, and the behind-closed-doors meet went on for quite a while. It raised eyebrows since he's no longer in power. No one knows what they discussed—other bureaucrats are clueless too! An insider mentioned it definitely wasn't just a casual visit. His phone is ringing off the hook, and files are allegedly still making their way to him. So, is he really done, or is he still calling the shots? — S Guruvanmikanathan The travails of X It's not every day you see civil servants flexing their literary muscles, but IAS officer VP Jayaseelan from Virudhunagar district did just that. On May 14, he shared a free-verse poem about his lifelong struggle with the mysterious 'X' in math, which has haunted him for years. He humorously reflected on everything from that tricky two-headed compass to dodging concepts like stock market investments and passive income. The best part? He finally found his true 'X' at a bus stand—the White Dog aka Memory, that relentlessly chases him. His poem prompted Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu to quip: 'X-ellent, sir!' — T Muruganandham Will the numbers keep coming? It looks like the TN Police are taking a page from the banking world by rolling out quarterly press releases on crime data. They shared this first batch of figures in late April, just as the Assembly was in session, which feels a bit too convenient, right? Interestingly, the stats show a drop in road accidents and crimes. It'll be curious to see if they keep this trend going in future quarters when the Assembly isn't in session. It's one thing to share numbers during budget talks; it's another to keep the accountability going when the spotlight isn't on them. — ENS No comments, please Once loud enough to crash the comments section, PMK's social media warriors have suddenly discovered the 'mute' button. Despite senior Ramadoss politely (read firmly) reminding that Anbumani is just a working president – not the full boss yet – Anbumani's online cheerleaders have treated their keypads as hot coal. The usual digital drumbeats have gone more conspicuously radio silent than a WhatsApp family group after someone mentions 'family photo'. Sources say as those who tried cheering both dad and son got caught in the crossfire — now everyone's playing safe, proving silence is the new strategy in family-run politics. —Kumaresan S (Compiled by Dinesh Jefferson E, Mary Catherene)
Hindustan Times
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
Mano Thangaraj sworn-in as minister in Tamil Nadu cabinet
Padmanabhapuram DMK MLA T Mano Thangaraj, who was dropped from the cabinet in September 2024, was sworn-in as a minister and re-inducted in the MK Stalin-led cabinet. This comes a day after the resignation of Senthil Balaji and K Ponmudy from the cabinet. Governor RN Ravi administered the oath of office to Thangaraj, who was removed as Milk and Dairy Development minister in the previous rejig of the cabinet. He was allotted the same portfolio on Monday. The event also saw chief minister MK Stalin and governor Ravi meet for the first time post the DMK government securing a favourable verdict in the Supreme Court against the latter delaying assent to various Bills adopted in the state assembly. The CM and governor shook hands and exchanged pleasantries. The governor on Sunday approved chief minister Stalin's recommendation on their resignation, a communique from the Raj Bhavan said. The resignations came days after Senthil Balaji, facing ED probe in a cash-for-jobs case in an earlier AIADMK regime, was asked by the Supreme Court on Wednesday to make a choice 'between post and freedom' as it had warned him of cancelling bail if he did not step down as minister. 'When you were a minister, categorical findings have been recorded against you in the manner in which you brought about settlement and the proceedings are quashed. Grant of bail does not mean power to influence witnesses. In the past, you have influenced witnesses,' the bench had said. The top court, as a result, offered him a choice. 'So, you have to make a choice between the post and the freedom. Such drastic findings are recorded against you in capacity as a minister,' the bench had said while hearing pleas to recall Balaji's bail on the ground that he influenced witnesses in the case. Ponmudy, a senior Darvida Munnetra Kazhgam leader, courted a major controversy recently over his Shaivite-Vaishnavite remarks, drawing widespread criticism, even as the Madras high court later initiated proceedings on its own on the matter. Transport minister S S Sivasankar will handle Electricity portfolio, held by Senthil Balaji. Further, housing minister S Muthusamy has been allotted excise and prohibition, also held by Senthil Balaji. RS Rajakannappan has been allotted Ponmudy's forests and Khadi, in addition to his existing milk and dairy development portfolio, the release said. 'The minor reshuffle balances communities within the cabinet,' said political analyst Maalan Narayanan. 'With Sivasankar, Muthusamy, and Rajakannappan, Stalin has reached out to the dominant Vanniyar, Gounder, and Yadava communities, respectively. The Vanniyar community is a vote bank of NDA ally Pattali Makkal Katchi and with the AIADMK joining the NDA again on April 11, it is key for the DMK to also build support among the Vanniyars who are dominant in the northern and western region.' (ATTRIBUTION) 'And, with Thangaraj they are looking at Christian votes, the region of Kanyakumari. The undercurrent is that Christians may largely support Vijay who is also a Christian and the DMK has no real strategy so far against TVK,' he said. Ponmudy, a strongman Villupuram district strongman, is one of the DMK's old hands who entered the Tamil Nadu cabinet for the first time in 1989. 'He is on the verge of retirement with the next generation of leaders in the DMK taking charge so it is a good riddance for the party concerning him. Ponmudi had also created rivals in Villupuram and was overly pushing for his son,'Maalan said. In the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, Ponmudy's son Gautam Sigamani was denied nomination for Kallakurichi parliamentary seat. However, he was appointed as the DMK's secretary for Villupuram (East) district. 'But Balaji won't be affected like Ponmudi. He may be a blemish but he brings the funds to the party either directly or indirectly which is required for elections. His hold in his native Karur is built from scratch. Loyalty will count more than morality here,' the analyst said. 'DMK wouldn't want to lose him. They will let the legal cases reach its logical conclusion. Balaji won't be a minister but he will move freely. He will continue to be close to the CM, the party high command,' he added.
Hans India
29-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
The same old story plays out in Tamil Nadu….
Hate politics, especially objectionable comments made against the Hindu faith, is an exercise which has been a regular feature of Dravidian politics over many decades in Tamil Nadu. Vulgar, euphemistic language leaving no scope for imagination has repeatedly been used on public platforms with a calculated design to demean opponents and hurting their self-esteem. The sad part is that over time, the public of the State, including its women, seem to have got desensitized to such bilge. One can say for sure it is a trademark which is wholly owned by the oldest regional party of south India, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK). Added to this is the ever-present trail of corruption and unbridled misuse of power which has cropped up almost all the time whenever the party has been in power. The recent cases of Senthil Balaji and K Ponmudi, the ministers who have been censured by the highest courts of the land are one of the much-debated ones in recent times. With a year to go for polls, a reviving opposition party AIADMK attempting to shed its inertia and hoping to turn the tables with the support of the BJP, the DMK has stumbled on, moving from one year to the other, continuing its cat fights with the Governor, R N Ravi and shooting its arrows at the Centre for its 'step-motherly' treatment. Unable to play its own tune against the harsh and sobering judgment of the High Court, the party had to bow down to the judicial pronouncement and seek the scalp of Ponmudi, who embarrassed the DMK no end with his comments on the two sects of Hindu religion and demeaning women too in the process. A so-called secular ambience prevails in this state, hailed as the gateway to the South not too long ago. Which very evidently means, an excessive and unjustified attack on the majority community, putting the believers and their faith under the microscope, using half-baked and repulsive language to ridicule them. Like how all cadre-based parties have had to combat the changing times and ideological positions challenged by real politics on the field, the DMK too has had to battle rising desertions from its fold but had built a solid base for itself over time to keep itself afloat. It also helped that there was no other real opposition from the national parties, who were forced to piggyback on either of the two regional parties for their existence and presence at both the state and national level. Having based their political existence on the twin theories of 'social justice' and 'rationalism', the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, which is a splinter of the mother party, Dravida Kazhagam is now a pale shadow of what it was when it ascended to power for the first time in 1967. The old guard has by and large receded with a few exceptions and the leaders who synced with the new dispensation of Stalin and his family are the only ones who find themselves in slots cherry picked for them. With the other out of power minister, Senthil Balaji who carried a parallel rule within the government and allegedly out beat many of his colleagues in aggregating corruption charges now given the task of party work, the DMK seems confident of brazening it out using its familiar cocktail of fomenting casteism and poking it in the eye as far as the Hindu faith is concerned.
The Print
28-04-2025
- Politics
- The Print
Senthil Balaji, Ponmudy resign from Cabinet, TN governor accepts Stalin's bid for Thangaraj
Senthil Balaji, facing ED probe, had been asked by the Supreme Court on Wednesday to make a choice 'between post and freedom' as it warned him of cancelling bail if he did not step down as minister. Governor R N Ravi has approved Chief Minister Stalin's recommendation to accept their resignation, a Raj Bhavan communique said. Chennai: Tamil Nadu Ministers V Senthil Balaji and K Ponmudy have resigned from the M K Stalin-led state cabinet and the Governor has accepted the same, the Raj Bhavan said on Sunday. Ponmudy had courted a major controversy over his Shaivite-Vaishnavite remarks made in the context of a sex worker, drawing widespread criticism, even as the Madras High Court later initiated proceedings on its own on the matter. Though he had been removed from a key party post, there were demands from opposition parties and other quarters, for his ouster from the cabinet. Transport Minister S S Sivasankar will handle Electricity portfolio, held by Senthil Balaji. Further, Housing Minister S Muthusamy has been allotted Excise and Prohibition, also held by Senthil Balaji. R S Rajakannappan has been allotted Ponmudy's Forests and Khadi, in addition to his existing Milk and Dairy Development portfolio, the release said. Further, the Governor has accepted the CM's recommendation to include Padmanabhapuram MLA T Mano Thangaraj in the cabinet, it said. He was dropped in an earlier rejig of the cabinet. The swearing-in of the minister designate will be held at 6 PM on Monday, it added. PTI SA KH This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content. Also Read: TN Governor Ravi alleges police threatened university VCs not to participate in conference
