Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa drops Shanmuganathan from council of ministers
Since assuming office in May 2016, this is the first Cabinet reshuffle in Jayalalithaa's government.
In her first cabinet reshuffle since assuming office for a successive term after the May 16 Assembly polls, Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa on Monday dropped Milk and Dairy Development Minister S P Shanmuganathan from her council of ministers.
Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah dropped Shanmuganthan from the cabinet "on the recommendation of the Chief Minister," a Raj Bhavan press release said. Shanmuganathan had recently been relieved as AIADMK's Thoothukudi District Secretary, a key party post.
Jayalalithaa also made portfolio reallocations, handing over the School Education department to Avadi MLA K Pandiarajan, one of the seven dissident DMDK MLAs in the previous Assembly, who joined the AIADMK this year.
Rural Industries Minister K T Rajenthra Balaji has been entrusted with Milk and Dairy Development portfolio. School Education Minister P Benjamin is the new Rural Industries Minister. The swearing-in ceremony of the new Ministers will be held at Raj Bhavan on Tuesday evening, the release said.