He continued with the same ministry after the 2004 elections which was won by the Congress led alliance, which included the DMK. His tenure as an Environment ministry came under intense scrutiny in 2011 during the 2G Spectrum case.
After the 2004 elections, where the Congress-led alliance, including the DMK, gained power, he continued in his position within the government. However, his time as Environment Minister was heavily scrutinized during the 2011 2G Spectrum case.