Chennai: MK Stalin is planning a mini-reshuffle of his cabinet, say reports, days after row over audio clips allegedly featuring his Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan, popularly known as PTR, making statements against the Chief Minister's family.
Sources say the Tamil Nadu cabinet overhaul is expected in the next two weeks as the Chief Minister is scheduled to go abroad later this month.
Some DMK leaders told NDTV that DMK MLA TRB Rajaa, representing Mannargudi constituency, may be inducted. He is a three-time MLA and the son of DMK MP and former Union Minister TR Baalu.
The other name in the running is of E Raja, Sankarankovil MLA.
The state cabinet has 35 ministers, touching the 15% ceiling of the total number of MLAs in the state. Any new induction would mean asking some to leave.
While some say at least two Ministers who have not performed well could be asked to resign, the big question is whether the state Finance Minister Dr Palanivel Thiyaga Rajan (PTR) would survive the shake-up.
Last week, the Chief Minister dismissed as "cheap politics" the PTR audio files, in which the Minister is purported to have made some remarks about the assets of the DMK's first family.
In two audio clips including one released by state BJP chief K Annamalai, PTR is purported to have made some remarks about Stalin's son Udhayanidhi and son-in-law V Sabareesan, which the finance minister has categorically denied.
The Minister had denied allegations and insisted that the clips were digitally altered using advanced technology.