Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and ruling DMK President MK Stalin said on Saturday that there would be a change in his council of ministers, once again lending credence to reports of the impending elevation of his son and sports and youth welfare minister, Udhyanidhi Stalin, as his deputy in the government.
He was responding to a query from the media at Chennai airport before leaving for the US on a 17-day investment scouting visit. Asked whether there would be a ministerial rejig on his return, the Chief Minister was candid enough to hint that it was very much a possibility.
The meeting is scheduled to take place at the newly renovated Pragati Maidan' convention centre, sources aware of developments said.
In a major Cabinet reshuffle, Arjun Ram Meghwal has replaced Kiren Rijiju as the Union and Justice Minister, a communique from President's Secretariat said on Thursday.
The Speaker Bikram Keshari Arukha, five-time MLA from Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik’s home district of Ganjam, cited personal reasons for resigning from the post.
Leaders of some opposition parties like the AIADMK criticised the decision to bring the CM's son into the Cabinet and decried the attempt to perpetuate dynastic politics.
Sources hinted that the CM might herself hold the finance portfolio and there are strong indications that Mamata Banerjee's most trusted Chandrima Bhattacharya might be given the MoS rank in the finance department.
Dominic Raab, who has been removed as the Foreign Secretary, will now become Justice Secretary and also take up the role of Deputy Prime Minister.
The rejig is part of major changes to the security functions of the national executive in the wake of what Ramaphosa referred to as “sabotage”, which led to a week of widespread violence, looting, and arson last month.
The meeting is expected to witness many notable issues and discussion related to key ministries like Union health ministry, now being handled by Mansukh Mandaviya, and education being taken care of by Dharmendra Pradhan
