Ending the 10-day deadlock, Edappadi K Palanisamy selected by V K Sasikala to form the government in the state took the oath of office as the new chief minister of Tamil Nadu this evening. He will be third chief Minister of the state in three months. The swearing-in ceremony took place at 4 pm where in 31 ministers were administered the oath of office. Sasikala loyalist Palanisamy has been, however, given 15 days to prove his majority in the Assembly.
The oath was administered at Raj Bhawan by Governor C Vidyasagar Rao who invited the Sasikala faction to form the government, leaving O Panneerselvam camp disappointed. All the Cabinet Ministers under caretaker chief minister O Panneerselvam, barring education minister K Pandiarajan who switched loyalties, have been retained by Palanisamy’s.
And most of the portfolios under Panneerselvam have been retained by Palanisamy. Senior AIADMK leaders Dindigul Srinivasan and party presidium chairman Sengottaiyan will be number 2 and 3 in the soon to be formed government.
The new Chief Minister holds the following 17 portfolios: Police, Home, Finance, PWD, Irrigation including Minor Irrigation, Highways, Minor Ports, Public, IAS, IPS, IFS, District Revenue Officers, Planning, Legislative Assembly, Elections and Passports, Personnel and Administrative Reforms, Personnel and Administrative Reforms (training).
The Governor had earlier kept his decision pending as the verdict in the disproportionate assets case against AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala, a claimant for chief ministership, was due to be announced by the Supreme Court, which delivered it on Tuesday, restoring her conviction and sentence, which shattered her hopes of occupying the top seat.
Known to be a grassroots leader, 63-year-old Palanisamy has seen steady growth in the party spanning 40 years. Right after the Supreme Court pronounced its verdict convicting Sasikala in the Disproportionate Assets case on February 14, numerous names were considered by the general secretary before an official meeting was convened to elect the Legislature Party Leader.
