T. R. Baalu

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Thiru Raju Baalu
Constituency Tamil Nadu (Rajya Sabha) (1986-1992)
Chennai South (1996-2009)
Sriperumbudur (2009-present)
Born June 15, 1941(1941-06-15)
Thalikottai, Tamil Nadu
Political party DMK
Spouse Smt. T.R.B. Porkodi
Children Three sons and two daughters
Residence Chennai
As of February 8, 2006
Source: [1]

Thalikottai Rajuthevar Baalu (Tamil: பாலு) (born June 15, 1941 in Thalikottai, Thiruvarur District in Tamil Nadu) is an Indian Tamil politician. T.R. Baalu did his BSc from New College in Madras University and diploma in drafting engineering drawings from Central polytechnic Chennai. He is a member of Lok Sabha of India from Chennai South constituency of Tamil Nadu and has been elected 4 times since 1996. He is an important leader of the DMK party and is known for political loyalty having been in the party since 1957. He is an industrialist with an engineering background in addition to being a political and social worker. Being a firm believer in numerology, he has changed his name to BAALU as against Balu (the normal way in which it is usually spelt). His Amateur Radio Callsign is VU2TRB.

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[edit] Career

T.R. Baalu began his political career when he joined the DMK in 1957 as a 16 year old boy. He came to limelight when he was jailed under MISA for protesting against emergency for a year. He became the Secretary, DMK of Chennai city District unit in 1982.Baalu was first elected to Parliament as a member of the Rajya Sabha in 1986 and served his full term till 1992. He was first elected to the Lok Sabha in 1996 and served as minister of state for petroleum, natural gas and non-conventional energy sources. He was re-elected in 1998, 1999 and 2004 from the Chennai South. He served as cabinet minister for environment and forests from 1999 to 2003. T. R. Baalu was also intrumental in starting the controversial Ram Sethu Project during the 14th Loksabha tenure. He was also accused of alleged corruptions and kickbacks from implementation of the project. T.R.Baalu has been jailed over 15 times for participating in the agitations and demonstrations for public cause. During the Karunanidhi midnight arrest on June 30, 2001. T.R. Baalu was arrested for protesting against the arrest. T.R. Baalu refused to leave prison and said he would do so only if the charges were proved or dropped. Jayalalitha dropped the charges.[1]

T. R.Baalu was also involved in ensuring subsidised gas was provided to companies owned by himself as a share holder and his sons and other relatives. He had written letters urging the then Petroleum minister Murali Deora to ensure their companies had uninterrupted supply of cheap natural gas.[2]

On October 17, 2008 he submitted his post-dated resignation to the DMK party chief M. Karunanidhi over the killings of Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka.[3]

T.R Baalu is elected as Lok Sabha member from the Sriperumbuthur constituency in the 2009 Indian Parliamentary Election.

In 2009 Election Mr. Manmohan Singh refused to accommodate him as a cabinet minister as T.R. Baalu was a poor performer. If sources are to be believed, Manmohan Singh was assertive not to give Baalu a cabinet berth because of the controversy he attracted during his tenure as a cabinet minister in the previous government.

His son owns the King Chemicals and during his previous tenure as a Cabinet minister, Baalu used his Office and position to give gas supplies to his son's company. When questioned, he in turn informed the Rajya Sabha that he had informed the PMO about that, which is not believed to be true. He is also well known for some reckless comments, one such incident is, he visited one of his muslim family friend's wedding and commented that he is ashamed to be a Hindu, which invited the ire of Hindu fundamentalist. Baalu has contribution to the Ram Sethu controversy.

[edit] Positions held

T.R. Baalu is also taking responsibility of the contentious Sethu Samudra project.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ rediff.com: Jayalalithaa faces loss of face
  2. ^ rediff.com: Ganesh Nadar on Karunanidhi
  3. ^ http://www.dnaindia.com/report.asp?newsid=1199083

[edit] External links

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