"Chief Minister's prerogative to appoint ministers," DMK's Elangovan questions Tamil Nadu Governor's "reallocation" move

Chennai (Tamil Nadu) [India], June 16 : Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) on Friday said it is the Chief Minister's prerogative to appoint ministers and questioned Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi's move to re-allocate the portfolios held by arrested state Minister V Senthil Balaji on Friday among Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu and Housing Minister S Muthusamy with Opposition AIADMK reiterating that Balaji has "no moral ground" to continue as a minister.

Speaking with ANI, the party spokesperson TKS Elangovan said, "It is not his (Governor) prerogative. It is the Chief Minister's prerogative to appoint ministers".

His remarks came after RV Ravi approved the reallocation of the portfolios held by Balaji following his arrest by the Enforcement Directorate in a money laundering probe. He was holding the portfolio of the Electricity Department.

Reacting sharply to the governor's decision, he questioned does the Constitution permit him (Governor) to say who should continue as the minister in the Cabinet.

"Does the Constitution permit him to say who should continue as Minister in the Cabinet? The Constitution does not say that," the DMK leader said.

"He (V Senthil Balaji) is just an accused. There is no judgement as to his charge. He is not a convict. The accusation may be false...", Elangovan, a senior DMK leader said.

AIADMK spokesperson Kovai Sathyan said, "We genuinely believe that the continuation of him (Balaji) as a minister will impede the ongoing proceedings. Maybe that could be the reason why Governor would have taken that moral high ground...Senthil Balaji has no moral grounds to continue as a minister. He has to be sacked".

"If proceedings were initiated in the right direction, this Govt (DMK) is on its way to being dismissed very soon on corruption charges...," Sathyan said.

As per a statement from Governor's office, Balaji is facing criminal proceedings for moral turpitude and is in Judicial custody. Thiru Thangam Thennarasu, who is holding the portfolio of Minister for Finance has been allocated the portfolio of Electricity, previously held by Balaji.

"However, the Governor has not agreed to let Thiru V Senthilbalaji continue any longer as a member of the Council of Ministers, as he is facing criminal proceedings for moral turpitude and is currently in Judicial custody," the release said.

"Based on the recommendations of the Chief Minister the subjects of "Electricity, Non-Conventional Energy Development" dealt with by Thiru V Senthil Balaji, has been allocated to Thiru Thangam Thennarasu, Minister for Finance and Human Resources Management, in addition to the portfolios already held by him," the release said.

Senthil Balaji was arrested by the probe agency in a money laundering probe on early Wednesday .