Stalin hails Senthil Balaji's 'sacrifice'

Chennai: DMK President and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin on Thursday welcomed the Supreme Court granting bail to senior party leader V Senthil Balaji in a money laundering case, even as cadres in western part of the state celebrated the order by distributing sweets and bursting crackers.

Stalin’s statement praising Balaji also led to intense speculation about his reinduction into the state Cabinet. Balaji, who was arrested on June 14, 2023 in a cash-for-jobs scam as Transport Minister during the 2011-2016 AIADMK rule, resigned as a minister in February this year, eight months after he was jailed.

Sources told DH that one of the reasons for the impending reshuffle getting postponed was the delay in Balaji’s release. “We understand that the reshuffle was delayed for months since the high command was waiting for Balaji’s release. Now that he is out of jail, the CM will take a call very soon on his induction,” a senior DMK leader said.

The DMK suffered a serious setback when Balaji’s arrest became a major political issue with Governor R N Ravi “dismissing” him from the Council of Ministers only to withdraw the order hours later.

“Supreme Court was the only hope at a time the ED has become an agency only to suppress BJP’s political enemies. Senthil Balaji spent 15 months in jail. No one has spent so much time in jail even during Emergency,” Stalin said in a social media post, making it clear that the DMK still stands behind Balaji.

“They tried to break Senthil Balaji’s will by keeping him in jail. I welcome my brother Senthil Balaji. I am sure he will come out of jail with renewed vigour,” Stalin added. “Your sacrifices are great and your will is even greater,” the Chief Minister said.

Alliance partners of the DMK too welcomed Senthil Balaji’s release and criticised the ED and BJP for keeping him in jail for 15 months for “no valid reason.” Senior DMK leaders, while asking the BJP to learn a lesson at least now, said Senthil Balaji’s release on bail is a victory for the DMK’s “sustained efforts to fight against the ED.”

Balaji secured a bail from the Supreme Court on Thursday after being in jail since June 14, 2023 following his arrest in a cash-for-jobs scam as Transport Minister during the 2011-2016 AIADMK rule.

Balaji, who switched over to the DMK from AIADMK in 2018, has been credited for the party’s reversal of fortunes in Western Tamil Nadu in the 2022 civic elections, eight months after the DMK lost majority of seats in the 2021 assembly polls.