Jayalalithaa axes minister Chinnayya from cabinet, makes changes in party

Chennai: Another minister has been dropped from the Tamil Nadu cabinet. Tamil Nadu chief minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa on March 2 removed Animal Husbandry minister TKM Chinnayya from the cabinet and from an important  key party post. Social Welfare minister B Valarmathi has been given additional charge of Animal Husbandry ministry.

"Governor K Rosaiah accepted the recommendation of the chief minister to drop Chinnayya from the council of ministers," an official release from Raj Bhavan said.

Chinnayya is the second minister to be removed from the cabinet, after B V Ramana was dropped on February 20.

Rosaiah also accepted the recommendation of the chief minister to allocate the portfolio hitherto held by him to Valarmathi, who also holds the portfolio of Nutritious Noon Meal programme.

Jayalalithaa sacked Chinnayya from the post of Kancheepuram East district secretary, replacing him with former South Chennai MP Chitlapakkam S Rajendran.

Health minister C Vijayabhaskar has been removed from the party post of Pudukkottai district secretary. Party agriculture wing secretary P K Vairamuthu will now helm Pudukottai district.

Tambaram Town secretary M Karikalan has been replaced by Anna Thozhirsanga Peravai district secretary M Koothan.

Kancheepuram Central district secretary Thandarai K Manoharan has been axed. Rajendran will hold the additional charge of Kancheepuram Central district. "I urge the party men to extend full cooperation to them," Jayalalithaa said.