O Panneerselvam to hold Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalithaa’s portfolios

NEW DELHI: Tamil Nadu Finance minister O Paneerselvam who has been the Chief Minister of the State twice, takes over all the Portfolios of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, a statement by Tamil Nadu Raj Bhavan said on Tuesday

Jayalalithaa has been hospitalised in Apollo Hospital Chennai since September 22. Since then, bulletins released by the hospital have said that she has been on respiratory support. Leaders such as Urban development minister Venkaiah Naidu and Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi have visited the CM and have said she was recovering.

On Tuesday, the Governor of Tamil Nadu allocated the portfolios dealt by the chief minister to Paneerselvam and also said he will also preside over the cabinet meetings. This arrangement has been made after the chief minister's advice and will continue until she resumes her duties,it said.


Jayalalithaa will continue as Chief Minister.

Apollo Hospitals in a statement on Monday said that Jayalalithaa is constantly being monitored by Intensivists and consultants as necessary respiratory support, antibiotics, nutrition, supportive therapy and passive physiotherapy are being given to her. She is being supervised by a UK specialist and a team of three doctors from Delhi's AIIMS hospital.

The DMK had demanded for an interim chief minister to be appointed to ensure the state's governance is not compromised especially at a time of a crucial water dispute with neighbouring Karnataka mediated by the Supreme Court.