DMK may look at ways to take on TN Governor Ravi over Senthil Balaji’s ‘dismissal’

The DMK is mulling to weigh all its options and legal recourses to take on Governor RN Ravi’s backtracked move to dismiss Minister V Senthil Balaji from the Cabinet, sources said on Friday (June 30).

On Thursday night, Governor Ravi withdrew his earlier order to dismiss Balaji from the Cabinet after facing severe flak on the decision from several quarters. The DMK had then said that the governor has no powers to take such a decision, while threatening legal action against him.

According to the sources, top brass of the party are now likely to consult leaders and office-bearers to devise a strategy – both legal and political – on the matter.

Also read: Tamil Nadu Governor takes back dismissal of Senthil Balaji after severe backlash

“The Governor has backtracked and he has been exposed thoroughly,” an office-bearer told PTI adding all the political maneuvering of the BJP to target the DMK has been backfiring in Tamil Nadu.

Sources said there was no need immediately to look into legal aspects or consider anything else (such as the possibility of political interests over the dismissal and a counter-strategy to frustrate it), as the dismissal was now on hold.

The DMK, may however consider weighing legal options to take on the Governor for his alleged excesses and fight the BJP politically at the right time and as and when warranted, sources added.

Balaji is an influential leader in the western Kongu region. He was previously with the AIADMK before joining the DMK years ago.

Ravi’s order dismissing Balaji from the Cabinet was placed under abeyance by the Raj Bhavan within hours following the Union Home Ministry’s intervention, the DMK said on Friday (June 30).

Also read: Who is Tamil Nadu minister V Senthil Balaji, whom the ED has arrested? 

The ruling DMK organ Murasoli said Ravi’s dismissal directive was “put on hold within five hours as per the advisory of the Union Home Ministry.”

Briefly explaining the sequence of events on June 29 related to the dismissal order, the Tamil daily underscored the strong condemnation it evoked from legal luminaries and party leaders. The daily said, by midnight information came that the dismissal order was being held in abeyance for soliciting Attorney General’s opinion on the matter.

“It is noteworthy that the Governor’s order was put on hold in five hours.”

In a late evening communication to the chief minister, the governor said he would consult the attorney general and seek his legal opinion about the move. The governor had explained the reasons for his removing Balaji from the cabinet. The order to dismiss Balaji, arrested by the Enforcement Directorate (ED) in a cash-for-jobs scam and since hospitalised, from the Council of Ministers has been kept in abeyance by the governor until further communication.

Also read: The job-for-cash scam case that brought ED to Senthil Balaji’s door

Meanwhile, posters sprung up in the city, asking whether “Guindy would write to Delhi,” about the pending cases against a set of union ministers and seek their ouster from the cabinet. Guindy, an obvious reference to the Raj Bhavan, in Chennai is where the Governor’s residence is located.

(With inputs from agencies)