BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai asks governor, CM M K Stalin to sack Senthil Balaji from cabinet

CHENNAI: BJP Tamil Nadu president K Annamalai on Saturday said chief minister M K Stalin had the moral responsibility to remove electricity minister V Senthil Balaji from the cabinet following the Supreme Court’s direction to restore the criminal complaint against him in a job-scam case.

Tamil Nadu governor R N Ravi should also take necessary action in this regard and remove him from the cabinet of ministers, Annamalai told media persons at the party headquarters in Chennai.

Annamalai said Senthil Balaji had cheated youngsters by promising them jobs when he was state transport minister (in the AIADMK regime). The Apex court’s latest order was a blow to Tamil Nadu government, Senthil Balaji and his cabinet colleagues, he said.

He also called upon Tamil Nadu police to take appropriate action in the case.

On Congress leader Rahul Gandhi’s nation-wide ‘Bharat Jodo Yatra’, Annamalai said it was not clear as to whether the Congress leader’s 150-day yatra from Kanyakumari to Kashmir was aimed at uniting the nation or dividing it.

Later, he took to social media to flag alleged forcible conversion of students to Christianity in a school in Chennai city. “The NCPCR (the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights) has taken due cognisance of forcible conversion activities in CSI Monahan school (hostel) in Royapettah, Chennai. We hope that the chief secretary, DGP and Tamil Nadu government will take appropriate action and safeguard the future of these children without diluting this case,” said Annamalai in his tweet along with the photocopy of the communication from chairman of the commission, Priyank Kanoongo, to the CS of TN and senior police officers.

On the occasion, he handed over key of a car that was given as gift to party functionary and former Indian basketball player Anitha Pauldurai. Annamalai also said that the BJP would extend financial support to Akilandeswari, daughter of a tea master, to pursue medical course as she has cleared NEET exam.