Eye on 2026 polls, CM Stalin makes changes in TN Cabinet for second time in 15 days

Chennai: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, M.K. Stalin, on Thursday reassigned key portfolios during a Cabinet reshuffle, signaling strategic adjustments within the ruling party ahead of the 2026 Assembly elections.

Senior Minister Duraimurugan, who also serves as the General Secretary of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), has been divested of the crucial Mines and Minerals portfolio.

The department will now be overseen by Minister S. Raghupathy, who has been redesignated as the Minister for Natural Resources.

In turn, Duraimurugan has been allocated the Law portfolio while retaining his existing role as Minister for Water Resources.

An official communique from the Raj Bhavan confirmed the reshuffle, stating: “Based on the recommendation of the Chief Minister, the Law portfolio is allotted to Thiru Duraimurugan, Minister for Water Resources. Further, the portfolio of Mines and Minerals is allotted to Thiru S. Raghupathy, who is designated as Minister for Natural Resources.”

This reshuffle marks the second significant change in CM Stalin’s Cabinet within a fortnight.

Recently, the Chief Minister removed senior Minister and DMK Deputy General Secretary K. Ponmudi from the Council of Ministers following some controversial remarks he made at a public event.

In another high-profile change, V. Senthil Balaji, a powerful young minister, resigned from his post as Electricity Minister after the Supreme Court issued an ultimatum threatening the cancellation of his bail in connection with the cash-for-jobs scam.

With just a year left for the 2026 Assembly polls, the Chief Minister’s decisive moves are widely seen as efforts to consolidate his leadership, neutralise criticisms from the AIADMK-led Opposition, and realign the party’s public narrative.

By holding even senior party figures accountable, CM Stalin is sending a clear message of discipline and adaptability as the DMK gears up for a crucial electoral battle.

The reshuffle underscores CM Stalin’s intent to refresh the government’s image while maintaining stability, balancing generational leadership with veteran experience as the political climate intensifies ahead of the polls.

–IANS