Annamalai says ‘audio tape’ is reason behind transfer of Palanivel Thiaga Rajan to IT ministry

CHENNAI: A day after the reshuffle in Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin’s cabinet, state BJP president K Annamalai alleged that a viral ‘audio tape’ is the reason behind the transfer of Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) from the Finance Ministry to the IT Ministry.

Palanivel Thiaga Rajan (PTR) was divested of the Finance and Human Resources Management portfolio and made the Minister for Information Technology and Digital Services in the reshuffle of the Tamil Nadu Cabinet. An unverified audio, purportedly of PTR, had gone viral on social media wherein the person is heard saying that the first family of DMK had amassed wealth.

Annamalai on Friday highlighted the statements of M K Stalin during a public meeting in January this year, and said that Stalin spoke about the efficiency of PTR as a Finance Minister. “Then why did he change his department? The audio tape was the reason behind this”, he said.

“PTR has been transferred to the IT Ministry. In January this year, CM M K Stalin during a public meeting, spoke about the efficiency of PTR as Finance Minister. Even in March, Stalin spoke about the efficiency of PTR and said that he manages the finance department well. Then why PTR has to be changed from Finance Department? What is the need? PTR tape is the reason for that”, Annamalai said while addressing a press conference in Chennai.

He also lashed out at DMK leaders T R Baalu and R S Bharathi for making comments about him and said that he will make more allegations against him as they have done a lot of corruption. “DMK leaders T R Baalu and R S Bharathi made comments about me this morning. T R Baalu’s defamation case against me is a joke. I will make more allegations against him as they have done a lot of corruption”, he said.

Hitting out at the recent shuffle in the Tamil Nadu cabinet, Annamalai said that S M Nasar was dropped from the state cabinet because BJP raised issues regarding the nutrition scam and the hike in Aavin milk price. “The BJP raised issues about SM Nasar regarding the nutrition scam, and the hike in Aavin milk price due to which S M Nasar was dropped from the state cabinet. BJP welcomes this decision, the new minister has to reduce the Aavin milk price and hope he will do that,” said Annamalai.

S M Nasar was dropped from the state cabinet and T R B Raja was made the State Dairy Development minister on Wednesday. Raja, son of DMK treasurer T R Baalu, is a three-time MLA from Mannargudi and was appointed as the DMK IT wing chief.

Annamalai also informed that in the PTR tape, he has made allegations against CM Stalin, and said Stalin must file a defamation case against him and added that he is ready to submit full audio to the court and forensics. “Even in the PTR tape, I have made allegations on CM Stalin. I am saying the same thing that PTR in the audio said, ‘CM, Sabareesan and Udhyanithi earned money’. I request CM to file a defamation case on me for releasing the PTR tape. I am ready to submit full audio to court and forensics”, he said.

“In DMK files Part 2 you will get to know where the Aarudhra scam went. To which minister? I am challenging you” he added.

With the removal of Nasar and the addition of Raja the strength of the Council of Ministers remains at the maximum number as, according to the Tamil Nadu Assembly rules, the maximum approved strength of the Council of Ministers is 15 per cent of the total number of members in the House. (ANI)