On Tuesday, a few days after the DMK's reign in Tamil Nadu entered into the third year, Chief Minister MK Stalin carried out a much-expected cabinet rejig, which has become the second cabinet reshuffle since he came to power. As a major overhaul is on the plate with a change in portfolios for several ministers, Minister Avadi Nasar was the only one who lost his job as he has been expelled from the cabinet. 

Nasar was serving as the Minister for Milk and Dairy Development and has become the first minister to get ousted from MK Stalin's cabinet. While he has been removed, DMK MLA TRB Rajaa has become MK Stalin's choice to fill the vacant berth in the cabinet. Notably, Rajaa was the top contender in the race to the cabinet when the reshuffle has become the talk of the town. As he is all set to become a minister, let's revisit Rajaa's political background,

Rajaa is a familiar leader in Tamil Nadu and comes from a rich political background. He is the son of senior DMK MP and party's treasurer TR Baalu and he has been one of the young guns in the party. 46-year-old Rajaa will take oath as a minister on Thursday - May 11 at Raj Bhavan where Tamil Nadu Governor RN Ravi would be administering the oath of office. On Tuesday, the government has issued a press release stating that the Governor has approved the Chief Minister's recommendation on inducting Rajaa into the cabinet. 

The press release read, "The Hon'ble Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu has recommended to the Hon'ble Governor of Tamil Nadu to induct Dr T.R.B. Rajaa, Mannargudi Assembly Constituency, in the Council of Ministers. The Hon'ble Governor has approved the recommendation. The Swearing-in-Ceremony of the Minister Designate will be held on 11th May 2023 at 10.30 am at Durbar Hall, Raj Bhavan, Chennai." 

"The Hon'ble Governor has also approved the recommendation of Hon'ble Chief Minister to drop Thiru S.M. Nasar, Minister for Milk and Dairy Development, from the Council of Ministers", the press release added. It has been reported that Rajaa's portfolio would be declared tomorrow and MK Stalin would play out a major rejig in the council of ministers as a handful of ministers would be taking up a new portfolio.

TRB Rajaa was appointed as DMK's IT Wing Secretary in January 2022, after Finance Minister Palanivel Thiaga Rajan resigned from the post. As a graduate from the University of Madras, Rajaa holds a Doctorate in Counselling Psychology and Management from Vels University. He got elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from the Mannargudi constituency for three consecutive times - 2011, 2016, and 2021. 

Before being appointed as the DMK's IT wing secretary, Rajaa served as the first secretary of DMK's NRI Wing. After DMK came to power in 2021, Rajaa was appointed as a member in the Tamil Nadu State Planning Commission and as the Chairman of the Legislative Committee on the Estimates. Tamil Nadu Assembly Speaker Appavu has declared Rajaa as the Substitute Speaker of the Assembly. 

After getting inducted into the cabinet, TRB Rajaa will join the club of ministers who are below 50 years of age. The club already has Mathiventhan (36), Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi (45), and Udhayanidhi Stalin (45) as young ministers of Tamil Nadu. It has been reported that Rajaa will be made the Minister for Industries, while the current Industries Minister Thangam Thennarasu will become the new Finance Minister, replacing Palanivel Thiaga Rajan.

The move is seen as a backlash for Palanivel Thiaga Rajan after the purported audio clips with his voice leaked online. In the audios, Palanivel Thiaga Rajan was heard making remarks against MK Stalin's son Udhayanidhi Stalin and his son-in-law Sabareesan. As the audio has sparked row within the DMK, it was reported that Palanivel Thiaga Rajan will be dropped from the cabinet. However, the sources say that he won't be removed from the cabinet, but would be given a new portfolio, possibly the Department of Information and Technology.