File photo: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa at a press conference at her residence in Chennai
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has sacked four of her ministers in two days. Those who exited include Local Administration Minister Munusamy, Agriculture Minister S Damodharan, Labour Minister K T Pachamal and Revenue Minister B V Ramanaa.
The party had lost in Kanyakumari and Dharmapuri constituencies. Many attribute the ministers were shown the door largely due to this defeat that denied a 39 on 39 victory for the AIADMK chief.
The Kanyakumari seat went to the BJP, the Congress finished second and the AIADMK came third. Labour Minister Mr Pachammal, who hails Kanyakumari, was also the local MLA in charge of the party's prospects in the constituency.
Mr Munusamy was overlooking the campaigning in the elusive Dharmapuri which went to Anbumani Ramadoss of the PMK. He was also stripped of his position in the party's Disclipinary Commitee though he would retain his position as the party's District Secretary in Krishnagiri.
Though the party won in all other constituencies, sources add the AIADMK chief appeared to be unhappy with the drop in percentage of votes garnered by the party in western Tamil Nadu and this is believed to be the reason for Agriculture Minister Mr Damodharan, who represents the Kinathukadavu assembly constituency, to be dropped.
The reason for dropping Mr Ramanaa, party insiders say, has nothing to do with election but perhaps a court case he's involved in.
This is the fourteenth time Ms Jayalalithaa has re-shuffled her cabinet. And the sacking of four ministers has come as a pleasant surprise for three others who were given marching orders in the past to be re-inducted. Those who are making a comeback are Agri S S Krishnamoorthy, S P Velumani and S Gokula Indira. While Ms Gokula Indira gets Handlooms and Textiles, Mr Velumani is the new Municipal Administration Minister, Mr Krishnamoorthy the new Agriculture Minister.
The Opposition DMK called this a musical chair. "The ministers do not know whether they would be in office the next day, how would they work?" a DMK leader told NDTV. However, AIADMK sources say, "The choice of ministers and re-shuffling them is clearly the prerogative of the chief ministers and there need be no explanation; Amma does everything in the best interest of the state".