Stalin's big Cabinet rejig: Udhayanidhi elevated as deputy CM, Senthil Balaji back as Minister

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has elevated his son Udhayanidhi Stalin as Deputy Chief Minister. He has also re-inducted Senthil Balaji, who had to resign from the ministry following the arrest by the ED. 

Besides Senthil Balaji, Stalin also inducted Dr Govi Chezhiaan, R Rajendran, and SM Nasar. They took oath of office at the Raj Bhavan in Chennai on Sunday. Governor RN Ravi administered the oath to the three ministers as newly-appointed Deputy CM Udhayanidhi and CM Stalin attended the swearing-in ceremony.

Balaji has got ministry of electricity, and prohibition & excise. Dr Govi Chezhiaan will helm Higher Education, while R Rajendran has got the Tourism Ministry. 

On Saturday, Tamil Nadu Governor Ravi approved Stalin's recommendations on a cabinet reshuffle that included the elevation of his son Udhayanidhi as deputy CM and saw the return of V Senthil Balaji to the council of ministers, two days after the Supreme Court granted him bail in a money laundering case.

Further, three ministers, including Mano Thangaraj who held the Dairy Development portfolio, have been dropped. Besides Balaji, Dr Govi Chezhiaan, R Rajendran, and S M Nasar have been inducted. Balaji had resigned in February this year, months after being arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a cash-for-jobs scam.

Stalin "recommended to the Governor of Tamil Nadu to allot the portfolio of Planning and Development to Udhayanidhi Stalin, Minister for Youth Welfare and Sports Development, in addition to his existing portfolios and be designated as Deputy Chief Minister."