Sengottaiyan takes over the IT portfolio in TN

The newly sworn-in AIADMK government has witnessed a major shuffle recently. Six new members were elevated to the position of cabinet ministers and portfolios of some existing ministers were also changed.

In the hobble, ex-minister for Information Technology, RB Udhayakumar was dropped from the cabinet. KA Sengottaiyan, who was the agriculture minister earlier, has been given the IT portfolio. If the sources inside Fort St George were to be believed, it is said that J Jayalalithaa, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu was keen on the development of the state, especially in the IT and IT related industries. Since the earlier IT minister failed to meet her expectations, he was dropped. It is also said that to execute 'Free Laptop Scheme,' a brain-child of the AIADMK leader, there was a need for an efficient hand to execute the scheme. The Chief Minister is said to have equal interest in e-governance projects which triggered her to find an efficient hand to handle the IT ministry.

61-year-old Sengottaiyan represents Gobi Chettipalayam constituency of Erode district. He won with a great margin in 2011. He has been the candidate for the constituency even in the past few assembly elections.

Advantage IT industry
There is a wide-spread opinion that the new minister, demands high influence in the party and has a rich experience as a minister handling various portfolios in the previous regimes.