TN Guv dismisses Senthil Balaji from Cabinet; Stalin vows to fight it legally

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor R N Ravi on Thursday dismissed Minister V Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers days after his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a cash-for-jobs scam, a move that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said the government would challenge legally.

In an official release, Raj Bhavan said, "There are reasonable apprehensions that the continuation of V Senthil Balaji in the Council of Ministers will adversely impact the due process of law, including fair investigation that may eventually lead to the breakdown of Constitutional machinery in the State." Senthil Balaji "is facing serious criminal proceedings in a number of cases of corruption, including taking cash for jobs and money laundering. Abusing his position as a minister, he has been influencing the investigation and obstructing the due process of law and justice," the release added.

"Under these circumstances, the Governor has dismissed Senthil Balaji from the Council of Ministers with immediate effect," the release added.

Reacting to the development, Chief Minister M K Stalin said Governor Ravi has no authority to dismiss a minister from the Cabinet. The government will face the issue legally, he told reporters.

Allies of the DMK, including Left parties, also rallied behind the ruling party and condemned the actions of the Governor.

Political analyst Durai Karuna said it was the exclusive prerogative of the chief minister to induct ministers into the Cabinet or drop them from the Council of Ministers. "In the past about 4-5 decades, I have not seen or heard of a Governor dropping a minister from the Cabinet without the recommendation of the chief minister," he told PTI.

Governor Ravi's dramatic move, the likes of which has not been witnessed in recent times, is likely to further intensify the ongoing tug of war between him and the DMK regime over several issues such as the Bills awaiting the Governor's assent.

Following 47-year old Balaji's arrest early on June 14, he was retained by the government as a minister without portfolio and the subjects held by him were allocated to Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu (Electricity) and Housing Minister Muthusamy (Excise).

Balaji is currently in judicial custody in a criminal case being investigated by the Enforcement Directorate. A few other criminal cases against him under the Prevention of Corruption Act and IPC are being investigated by the state police.

After his arrest, Balaji had complained of chest pain and was admitted to a government hospital. Later, he underwent a bypass surgery at a private hospital.

On May 31, the Governor had sent a letter to the CM asking him to drop Senthil Balaji from the Cabinet, and the very next day Stalin had given a detailed reply.

Ravi had initially returned the file related to reallocation of portfolios to the government, but eventually he gave his consent to the proposal.