L Ganesan to boost Tamil Nadu representation in Union cabinet

CHENNAI: BJP veteran and former chief of the party's Tamil Nadu unit

L Ganesan

, newly elected to the Rajya Sabha from

Madhya Pradesh

on Thursday, is diffident about his aspirations for a berth in the Modi ministry declining comment after he received a rousing welcome from party leaders and cadres on his arrival in the city on Friday.

However, informed sources said he was nominated by the party to the Rajya Sabha precisely to induct him as a minister after it was found during a performance review by the PM that the lone minister from Tamil Nadu Pon Radhakrishnan has not been effective to initiating development projects in TN other than Colachel port in his

Lok Sabha

constituency of Kanyakumari.

Sources said the Modi government believes that a relatively big state like TN should be represented by more MPs and ministers. "So Pon Radhakrishnan's burden will be reduced should Ganesan be made a minister and the onus would shift to both of them to bring more development to the state in terms of central government projects," a party ideologue said not wishing to be named.

"This would also end the monopoly of one central minister who currently has a bigger clout in appointment of state party functionaries and satisfy other factions," he said.

Ganesan has made it known that he feels privileged to be an MP from Madhya Pradesh even though the party has 26 MPs from the state. "I will also speak about issues in Madhya Pradesh apart from Tamil Nadu," he has said.

On his securing the Rajya Sabha seat vacated by former Union minister for minorities welfare Najma Heptullah on her posting as Manipur governor, Ganesan said he has a good equation with Muslim League leaders.