Will Vijay Reshuffle His Cabinet? Two Ministers Face Heat
Human Resources Management Minister D Sarathkumar and Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Minister K Jegadeshwari had recently found themselves at the center of multiple controversies
A cabinet reshuffle is on the cards for Tamil Nadu, if local reports are to be trusted. Recent controversies related to two ministers in the CM Joseph Vijay-led Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam cabinet could lead to dropping them from ministerial posts, while the move could also work out in order to accommodate heavyweight defectors from other parties.
Human Resources Management Minister D Sarathkumar and Social Welfare and Women Empowerment Minister K Jegadeshwari had recently found themselves at the center of multiple controversies.
A complaint was filed earlier this week against Minister D Sarathkumar alleging that he distributed money to induce people to vote during the by-election campaign.
The complaint was lodged by a representative of the Election Flying Squad, at the Visaranai Nagar Police Station after a video allegedly showing money being distributed during Minister Sarathkumar's campaign went viral.
Sarathkumar is already facing a probe after visuals of him crushing a white substance with a credit card surfaced online. The minister has denied allegations of drug use, saying that the two-year-old video of him crushing medicine is being deliberately misrepresented.
As of Minister Jegadeshwari, after the controversy regarding her photograph along with an alleged history sheeter, news about a government function in Virudhunagar where she had contended about priority of names on boards and stage banners have also caused a headache for the ruling government.
Sources claimed that the leadership has also taken note of her differences with fellow minister S Keerthana and advised both of them to resolve the matter within the party.
Defections and By-polls
However, the reshuffle is unlikely to happen before the Assembly by-elections.
Meanwhile, seven sitting MLAs from AIADMK have quit their posts, and most have already joined TVK. The date for by-polls to fill these vacated seats are yet to be announced.
The latest in the list is Karur AIADMK MLA MR Vijayabhaskar, who resigned from the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly on Monday, becoming the sixth legislator from the AIADMK to quit after the formation of the TVK government. Vijayabhaskar had served as transport minister in the J Jayalalithaa cabinet. Speculations are rife about him joining the ruling TVK soon.
Vijayabaskar's resignation has increased the number of vacant Assembly constituencies to seven, including the Tiruchirappalli East constituency vacated by Chief Minister C Joseph Vijay, taking the total number of vacancies in the 234-member House to seven.
