Ponmudy's conviction comes as shocker to ruling DMK, party's says it's 'not a setback'

The sentencing of K Ponmudy, who held the Higher Education portfolio, to three years in jail in a disproportionate assets case, has come as a year-end shocker to the ruling DMK, which on Thursday downplayed its senior being sent to prison as not a setback. The sentence delivered by the Madras High Court comes nearly six months after Minister V Senthil Balaji was arrested by the enforcement directorate in connection with a money laundering case.

The sentencing of K Ponmudy, who held the Higher Education portfolio, to three years in jail in a disproportionate assets case, has come as a year-end shocker to the ruling DMK, which on Thursday downplayed its senior being sent to prison as ''not a setback.'' The sentence delivered by the Madras High Court comes nearly six months after Minister V Senthil Balaji was arrested by the enforcement directorate in connection with a money laundering case. He continues to serve as a minister without portfolio. ''It definitely will not be a setback to the DMK. Even in the judgment it is not that adverse,'' DMK organisational secretary R S Bharathi said reacting to the pronouncement. ''There's a technical issue in this case. We will go on an appeal before the Supreme Court and will get over it,'' Bharati told PTI when his comments were sought. Contending that the sentencing may be a setback to Ponmudy, as an individual, DMK spokesperson and a lawyer, Saravanan Annadurai said ''Ponmudy is strong and the DMK legal wing is confident of presenting its case in the Supreme Court.'' ''The judgment is flawed and we will be able to demonstrate this in the Apex Court and get an acquittal,'' he said. Asked if the conviction would affect the party's prospects in the Lok Sabha elections early next year, Saravanan said ''AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa was convicted in the TANSI land deal (and lost her position in 2001) and was sent to prison in 2015. But the next year the AIADMK came to power. The same applies to the DMK, and its Minister as he well.'' Reacting to the judgment, former MLC and BJP national co-incharge of Tamil Nadu, Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy said, ''With a minister without a portfolio in jail and another minister joining him shows the Dravidian model of governance in Tamil Nadu. People will reject the corrupt DMK in the Lok Sabha election.'' Following the latest development, Chief Minister and DMK president M K Stalin allotted the Higher Education Portfolio to Backward Classes Welfare Minister R S Rajakannappan.

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