O Panneerselvam changes work culture, emerges as accessible CM

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, is winning plaudits from bureaucrats and political observers for ushering in positive changes in the administrative style followed in the southern state, as it recoups from the recent turmoil following the demise of former chief minister and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa.

OPS, as he is widely known, is redefining himself as a leader and also changing the way the state secretariat has been functioning in the recent past, according to top bureaucrats, who reckon the well-oiled state administrative system is more nimble now as Panneerselvam is “going about his work diligently”.

“A procedure of consensus decision-making is taking place at a pace like never before,” said a senior bureaucrat who requested that he not be identified.

The encomiums come at a time when the state is still dealing with disquiet within ruling party circles following the transfer of power. Political differences within the AIADMK surfaced on Monday as a former AIADMK minister K P Munusamy told reporters that although O Panneerselvam has emerged as an accessible and effective chief minister, people within the party were creating trouble for him. Munusamy was referring to changing political dynamics within the AIADMK where many MLAs and state ministers want the party general secretary V K Sasikala to take over as chief minister from Panneerselvam.

Hours later, talking to reporters the state handloom and textile minister and senior AIADMK leader O S Manian said, “From the days of M G Ramachandran it has been clearly laid out that the general secretary of the party will also be the chief minister of the state and there is no change in that as far as the AIADMK is concerned.”

OPS is no stranger to situations where he was seen as a temporary stand in during the absence of his former boss, the late J Jayalalithaa. He was even mocked on social media as the UPS (uninterrupted power supply) that switches on when the main power is cut off. But this time round, it is different say government insiders.

“Recently I had to travel to one of the southern districts for an assignment and a file needed immediate attention. I had called the CM’s secretary over phone as I was travelling and informed about the file. To my surprise not only was the file cleared within hours of my call but I also got a call from the secretariat saying that the Chief Minister has cleared the file and that I could proceed in the matter. These things were unthinkable in the past,” said a bureaucrat.

Another senior official who has worked closely with both the late Jayalalithaa and former CM Karunanidhi told ET “There are two things which actually set him ( OPS) apart, -humility and grace with the way he approaches people; lot of diligence with the way he approaches work.”