It's Jayalalithaa who runs government, Panneerselvam tells assembly

CHENNAI: AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa may have been disqualified as an MLA, but chief minister O Panneerselvam said in the assembly that it was his party chief who was running the government in the state.

Jayalalithaa was unseated as chief minister after her conviction in the Rs 66 crore disproportionate assets case. But Panneerselvam, who took over the post, has refused to occupy her office and take her seat in the assembly.

AIADMK leaders have time and again reiterated that Jayalalithaa is the people's chief minister despite her conviction. During his speech in the assembly, Panneerselvam made repeated references to Jayalalithaa as the people's chief minister, thereby making it clear and loud who is the boss.

Replying to CPM leader A Soundararajan's charge that law and order had deteriorated in the state, Panneerselvam said the government of the day, functioning under Jayalalithaa's leadership, was a perfect example of a good administration.

Crimes committed by people owing to personal vengeance and family disputes could not be cited to claim deterioration of law and order, he said. Only when the government fails to act against those who break the law, can one level charges of failure of administration, he said and added that the attack on the office of Tamil daily Dinakaran in Madurai during the DMK government was one such example.

Three employees of the newspaper were charred to death in the incident.

Panneerselvam also announced an interim relief of 1,000 a month to 1.15 lakh transport corporation employees with effect from January 1, 2015. Since a case was pending in the court with regard to wage revision, the government was not able to take a final decision on the hike, he said. The pay revision was to come into effect from September 1, 2013.