PTR, an outspoken politician hailing from a legacy-rich political family in Tamil Nadu, was an investment banker before his political plunge in 2016. (@ptrmadurai/Twitter/File)
Palanivel Thiagarajan is likely to be replaced as Tamil Nadu finance minister by Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu amid controversy over audio leaks in which he is purported to have made remarks about the assets of Chief Minister MK Stalin’s family
Tamil Nadu Finance Minister Palanivel Thiagarajan could be relieved of his portfolio in a cabinet reshuffle likely to be effected in the next two days amid controversy over audio leaks in which the minister is purported to have made remarks about the assets of Chief Minister MK Stalin’s family.
Sources told News18 that Thiagarajan, or PTR as he is popularly known, may continue to remain a minister in the cabinet with charge of Information Technology portfolio.
PTR is likely to be replaced as finance minister by Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu, sources said, adding that the move aligns with the party’s decision to ban the minister from events being organised to celebrate two years of the Stalin government in Tamil Nadu. The DMK has maintained that it is PTR’s decision to skip these events.
In two audio clips released last month, 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. He insists the audio clips are digitally altered material but has not initiated any legal proceedings.
The first audio clip was put out by political observer and Editor of investigative journalism outlet Savukku A Shankar, while Annamalai followed up with another.
Stalin has dismissed the clip as “cheap politics”. “He (PTR) himself has given two detailed explanations on this matter. I have time only to do my duty for people. I do not want to talk anything further on this and give publicity to those indulging in cheap politics,” Stalin said in his regular Ungalil Oruvan question and answer series.
PTR, an outspoken politician hailing from a legacy-rich political family in Tamil Nadu, was an investment banker before his political plunge in 2016. He had set up the DMK’s IT wing and scaled it to a massive level of social influence.
As Finance Minister, he released a white paper on state finances in August 2021, laying down detailed observations on Tamil Nadu’s state fiscal position and blaming inadequate political will on the part of the AIADMK.
While the audio clips did send shockwaves across the DMK, PTR’s removal from the portfolio seemed certain though not immediate. The return of Stalin’s son-in-law Sabareesan to Chennai from London seems to have changed the timeline. Sabareesan has been perceived to be PTR’s backer.
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