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K. T. Rajenthra Bhalaji
K. T. Rajenthra Bhalaji
Minister for Milk and Dairy Development
	In office; 29 August 2016 – 2 May 2021
Chief Minister	J.Jayalalithaa; O. Panneerselvam; Edappadi K. Palaniswami
Preceded by	S. P. Shunmuganathan
Succeeded by	S. M. Nasar
Minister for Rural Industries
	In office; 23 May 2016 – 28 August 2016
Chief Minister	J.Jayalalithaa
Preceded by	P. Mohan
Succeeded by	P. Benjamin
Minister for Information and Special Programme implementation
	In office; 6 November 2011 – 22 May 2016
Chief Minister	J.Jayalalithaa; O. Panneerselvam
Preceded by	M. C. Sampath
Succeeded by	S. P. Velumani
Member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly
	In office; 16 May 2011 – 2 May 2021
Preceded by	R. Gnanadoss
Succeeded by	A. M. S. G. Ashokan
Constituency	Sivakasi
Personal details
Political party	All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam

K. T. Rajenthra Bhalaji is a former minister and former member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly elected from the Sivakasi constituency in 2011 and 2016. He represented the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party.^[1]

Bhalaji was first appointed Minister for Information and Special Programme Implementation by Jayalalithaa in a cabinet reshuffle of November 2011.^[2] He served as the Minister for Information and Special Programme implementation of Tamil Nadu during (November 2011 - May 2016) and as the Minister for Rural Industries of Tamil Nadu from (May 2016 - August 2016) and after reshuffle of portfolios in August 2016, he became the Minister for Milk and Dairy Development of Tamil Nadu during (August 2016 - May 2021).^[3]

Bhalaji initiated a new scheme in “Aavin – Tamilnadu Co-operative Milk Producers Federation Limited” that milk would be available to the public 24 hrs in Chennai City and the same has been implemented throughout Tamil Nadu. This scheme has been appreciated by the public in a great manner.^[4]

In 2021, he contested Rajapalayam Legislative constituency and lost to the DMK candidate Thangapandiyan.

Controversies

On 25 September 2019, Balaji has fueled a controversy after calling Congress MP Manickam Tagore as an 'ungrateful dog' and asked people to beat him with slippers when he comes seeking vote in Nanguneri.^[5] In another scathing remark he further called him a pig and asked people to shoot Manickam Tagore with rubber bullets if he ever went there.^[6]

Bhalaji on 13 May 2019 created controversy when he said actor-politician Kamal Haasan's tongue should be chopped off for saying that Nathuram Godse was a Hindu extremist.^[3] He also said Kamal Hassan's party Makkal Needhi Maiam should be banned and the Election Commission should take action. Makkal Needhi Maiam general secretary A Arunachalam said Bhalaji should be removed from his post as he lacks political ethics and personal dignity.^[7]

On 9 March 2019, he claimed prime minister Narendra Modi as the father of his party AIADMK^[8]^[9]^[10] on the demise of late J. Jayalalithaa who he and his party members called their mother.^[11]

Sattur AIADMK MLA Rajavarman accused Balaji of threatening to kill him for 6 months with mercenaries. He claimed that Balaji threatened to cut and stab him. He said this during a meeting on 18 October 2020.^[12]

Elections contested

Tamil Nadu Legislative elections

Elections	Constituency	Party	Result	Vote percentage	Opposition Candidate	Opposition Party	Opposition vote percentage
2011 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election	Sivakasi	AIADMK	Won	59.17	T. Vanaraja	DMK	35.01
2016 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election	Sivakasi	AIADMK	Won	43.67	C. Sreeraja	INC	35.28
2021 Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly election	Rajapalayam	AIADMK	Lost	39.73	S. Thangappandian	DMK	41.94