O Panneerselvam to lead Cabinet till Jayalalithaa returns to office

Under Clause (3) of Article 166 of the Constitution of India, the Governor of Tamil Nadu allocated the subjects handled by Chief Minister J Jayaltithaa to O Panneerselvam. 

“This arrangement has been made as 3 per the advice of the Honourable Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Jayalalithaa will continue to be the Chief Minister,” the release stated. 

This announcement comes in the wake of intense speculation over the appointment of an acting Chief Minister and demand by Opposition DMK and other parties to come up with an interim arrangement for ensuring the smooth operation of the state government.

Earlier during the day, Jammu and Kashmir Minister for Food, Civil Supplies and Consumer Affairs Chowdhary Zulfkar Ali visited Apollo Hospitals and enquired about the Chief Minister’s health condition. He said he came here to wish Jayalalithaa a speedy recovery on behalf of the people and Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. 

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu sent Tirupati temple’s ‘prasadam’ to Jayalalithaa. AIADMK’s official Twitter handle said that Naidu had sent ‘prasadam’ from ‘Tirupati’ temple, in an apparent reference to the Lord Venkateshwara Temple at Tirumala Tirupati. 

“Chandrababu Naidu had puja at Tirupati temple for complete recovery of Chief Minister (Jayalalithaa). The Andhra CM sent the prasadam to Apollo Hospital” a Tamil tweet by @AIADMKofficial, said. 

Former state Congress chief M Krishnasamy also visited the hospital. After Rahul Gandhi’s visit to Apollo on October 7, Union Ministers M Venkaiah Naidu and Pon Radhakrishnan visited the hospital and enquired about her health condition on Sunday. Kerala Governor Justice P Sathasivam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Union Territory of Puducherry Lt Governor Kiran Bedi, and others had also visited her at the hospital over the past few days. Speaking to reporters after his visit, Rahul said that the Chief Minister was improving and she would become alright soon. He said he came from New Delhi to express Congress’ support and his and the wishes of AICC President Sonia Gandhi. 

Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital on the night of September 22 following fever and dehydration and the hospital. In the most recent bulletin issued by the hospital on Monday, doctors at Apollo said that the CM was constantly monitored in intensivists and other expert consultants. “Necessary respiratory support, antibiotics, nutrition, supportive therapy and passive physiotherapy are being given,” the release said. 

Top BJP leaders Amit Shah and Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley will visit Apollo Hospitals on Wednesday, where Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa is admitted, the party’s state unit said on Tuesday. “BJP national president Amit Shah and Union Minister Arun Jaitley to call on Tamil Nadu Chief Minsiter M in Apollo Hospitals around 5 pm tomorrow (Wednesday),” BJP state unit president Tamilisai Soundararajan said on her Twitter page on Tuesday. Jayalalithaa (68) was admitted to the hospital on September 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration.