In yet another round of changes in the State Cabinet, two Ministers – Agri S.S. Krishnamoorthy and S.P. Velumani – were dropped on Thursday.
Their places will be taken by N. R. Sivapathy and Mukkur N. Subramanian.
Information Technology Minister K. A. Sengottaiyan, ranked third in the order of seniority of Ministers, has been made Revenue Minister. Mr Sengottaiyan, who held the portfolio of Agriculture till November, was later given IT.
The 48-year-old Sivapathy, Member of Legislative Assembly from the Musiri constituency of Tiruchi district, who was removed from the Cabinet in November, will be re-inducted to the Ministry. At the time of removal, he held the portfolio of Animal Husbandry.
The 52-year-old Subramanian, who represents Cheyyar of Tiruvannamalai District, will also join the Cabinet. While Mr. Sivapathy will be known as Minister for School Education, Sports and Youth Welfare, Mr. Subramanian has been given the portfolio of Information Technology.
They will be sworn in Ministers at a ceremony at the Raj Bhavan on Friday evening, according to an announcement made by the Raj Bhavan on Thursday late evening.
When the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government assumed office in the middle of May, Mr Krishnamoorthy, two-time member from the Kalasapakkam constituency of Tiruvannamalai, was given the portfolio of Food and Civil Supplies. In early July, he was made Minister for Commercial Taxes and Registration. About a week ago, he was shifted to School Education.
Mr. Velumani, who is serving his second term in the Assembly and now represents Thondamuthur of Coimbatore District, was originally Minister for Special Programme Implementation. Subsequently, he was made Industries Minister. Last week, he was transferred to Revenue. The release stated that Governor K. Rosaiah accepted the advice of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to drop the two Ministers.
