DMK leader V. Senthil Balaji, who is currently in custody related to a money laundering case, has resigned from his ministerial position. Balaji, who previously held the role of Minister for Electricity, Prohibition, and Excise in the Tamil Nadu government, was arrested by the Enforcement Directorate on June 14 in connection with a cash-for-jobs scam during his tenure as Transport Minister in an earlier AIADMK regime. Despite being arrested, he was retained as a minister without a portfolio in the DMK government led by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin.
Sources familiar with the situation revealed that Balaji has submitted his resignation, which has been forwarded to the chief minister’s office. This decision comes after the Supreme Court recently dismissed a plea seeking his removal from the ministerial post, stating that the governor cannot dismiss a minister without the chief minister’s recommendation. Previously, the Madras High Court had also urged Chief Minister Stalin to consider the continuation of Balaji as a minister without a portfolio, emphasizing the importance of upholding constitutional principles and good governance.
Balaji’s tenure as a minister had become a contentious issue between Chief Minister Stalin and Governor R.N. Ravi, as the governor had unilaterally dismissed him from the cabinet last year, only to reverse the decision later. Despite these challenges, Balaji’s resignation signifies a significant development in Tamil Nadu’s political landscape, prompting further discussions about governance and administrative integrity.
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