Tamil Nadu Moves To Divide Arrested Minister's Duties, Governor Responds

A proposed change in the portfolio of Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji has become the fresh flashpoint in the government versus Governor tussle in the opposition-ruled state. Governor RN Ravi has apparently turned down Chief Minister MK Stalin's proposal for a reallocation of Mr Balaji's portfolio and keep him on as a minister without portfolio.

Mr Balaji was arrested on Wednesday by the Enforcement Directorate in an alleged money laundering case. He is currently in hospital after he was advised a CABG-bypass surgery. He had complained of chest pains and was taken for a medical check-up on the way.

On Thursday, Mr Stalin had written to the Governor, recommending a reallocation of the portfolios of electricity and prohibition, held by Mr Balaji, to Ministers Thangam Thennarasu and S Muthusamy.

But the Governor, said state Higher Education minister K Ponmudi, shot down the proposal.

In his response, Mr Ravi had also mentioned that the government's letter was incorrect and misleading. The government then wrote back, saying change of portfolio is the Chief Minister's prerogative.

"The Chief Minister has the right to decide on the portfolio allocations or in inducting a minister or dropping a minister from the council of ministers, as per constitution and not the Governor," read a statement issued by Mr Ponmudi.

"The Governor, who ought to know the constitution, should have accepted the Chief Minister's recommendation on the portfolio reallocation. But the Governor is acting like the agent of the BJP government at the Centre," he added.

"Merely because a minister faces a case, he can't be removed. Was home minister Amit Shah who faced a case when he was a state minister, sacked?" he questioned, also citing that many AIADMK ministers who faced cases, were not sacked.

Ahead of Mr Balaji's arrest, the Governor had written to Mr Stalin. His letter dated May 31 had proposed that Mr Balaji be dropped from the council of ministers.

In response, Mr Stalin had cited Union Home Minister Amit Shah and several other Union ministers, who were in office despite pending cases against them.

The opposition AIADMK and its ally BJP have already demanded the removal of Mr Balaji from the cabinet.

The face-off between the Governor and Chief Minister in Tamil Nadu follows similar situations in multiple opposition-ruled states. The one that makes the maximum headlines is Delhi, where Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has been at loggerheads with three successive Lieutenant Governors since him Aam Aadmi Party government came to power.

The Centre versus Delhi issue - primarily over the control of bureaucrats posted in the national capital - was pending in court for long. Last month, the Centre's passed an executive order that overrides an order of the Supreme Court, which said the elected government is the boss of Delhi in terms of control of bureaucrats. Mr Kejriwal is currently canvassing support from opposition parties to block the related bill in parliament.