TN Governor RN Ravi has a meeting with Amit Shah in Delhi, first after ‘dismissal’ of Minister Balaji

On 29 June, Ravi had “dismissed” Balaji from the Council of Ministers. This move was deemed unconstitutional by legal experts, and rejected by Chief Minister MK Stalin.

Hours later, news agency PTI quoted sources as saying that he had kept the order in abeyance for the time being and informed Stalin about it. Reports said he had done this on the advice of the Union home minister.

“Hon’ble Governor Ravi had a purposeful meeting with Hon’ble Union Home Minister Thiru. Amit Shah in Delhi,” the Raj Bhavan tweeted on Saturday, along with a picture of the two, about the first meeting between the two after the “dismissal” episode.

Hon’ble Governor Ravi had a purposeful meeting with Hon’ble Union Home Minister Thiru. Amit Shah in Delhi. pic.twitter.com/jyp3CKK3TP

— RAJ BHAVAN, TAMIL NADU (@rajbhavan_tn) July 8, 2023

Also Read: Timeline: Governor RN Ravi and DMK government at loggerheads

Governor vs Government

Ravi has crossed swords with the ruling DMK in the past over a number of issues, including the anti-NEET Bill, but the differences peaked with the arrest of Senthil Balaji last month by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a cash-for-jobs scam.

Soon after Stalin returned from a two-nation official trip on 1 June, the Governor sent him a missive, asking him to drop Balaji from the Cabinet as there were cases pending against him.

On 13 June, the ED conducted raids at Balaji’s office, residence, and even his Tamil Nadu Secretariat office. He was arrested in the early hours of 14 June.

On 15 June, after Balaji’s arrest and subsequent hospitalisation, Stalin recommended to the Governor that the electricity portfolio he held be assigned to Thangam Thennarasu as an additional charge, and the prohibition and excise portfolio be assigned to S Muthusamy.

This effectively kept Balaji in the Cabinet as a minister without portfolio.

Governor Ravi refused to accept Stalin’s recommendation to reallocate the ministries held by Balaji to the two other ministers. He, however, agreed to the reallocation, but insisted on Balaji being dropped from the Cabinet.

However, Stalin refused to oblige and retained him in the Cabinet as a minister without portfolio, snubbing the Governor.

Related: No ‘specific order’ from Gov removing Balaji from Cabinet: HC

‘Dismissal’ illegal, says DMK

On 30 June, a day after Ravi “dismissed” Balaji and then kept the order in abeyance, Stalin held a meeting with his senior Cabinet colleagues, legal experts, and senior advocate and DMK MP NR Elango.

Speaking to reporters, Elango said that the state would take up the issue legally, and the chief minister would announce the plans later in the day.

The ruling DMK had insisted that Ravi had paused his action to dismiss Balaji on the advice of the Union Home Ministry.

Related: TN Gov dismisses Minister Balaji, then keeps order in abeyance

Background

In 2014-2015, while Balaji was the transport minister during the AIADMK regime, a recruitment drive was announced for the posts of reserve crew drivers, crew conductors, junior tradesmen (JTMs), junior assistants (JA), and junior engineers.

According to the Enforcement Directorate (ED) FIR, Balaji and others received money from several people in lieu of promises of a government job in the Transport Department.

It is in this case that he has been investigated and arrested.

(With PTI inputs)