Jayalalithaa still CM, but finance minister handed over her portfolios

TNN | Oct 12, 2016, CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu governor C Vidyasagar Rao on Tuesday allocated all the portfolios of chief minister J Jayalalithaa to finance minister O Panneerselvam.

Jayalalithaa will continue to be the chief minister.

The portfolios held by Jayalalithaa included public department, IAS, IPS, IFS, general administration, police and home.

An official statement from Raj Bhavan said, "Under Clause (3) of Article 166 of the Constitution of India, Governor allocated the subjects hitherto dealt with by chief minister J Jayalalithaa to O Panneerselvam, minister of finance, personnel and administrative reforms."

Panneerselvam will also preside over the cabinet meetings. "This arrangement has been made as per the advice of the chief minister and will continue until Jayalalithaa resumes her duties," the statement said.

Jayalalithaa was admitted in Apollo Hospitals on September 22 for fever and dehydration. According to a recent medical bulletin, the CM requires a longer stay in the hospital.

The AIADMK had been engaged in internal discussions about empowering a stand-in leadership for the government. The question was over whether there should be an interim chief minister or just an allocation of Jayalalithaa's portfolios to others.

Tuesday's move seems to have followed the precedent set in MGR's time when he was flown to the US for treatment. The then governor S L Khurana allocated MGR's portfolios to V R Nedunchezhian and Panruti S Ramachandran. Nedunchezhian chaired the cabinet meetings in the absence of MGR. Among the opposition parties, the DMK was strident in its demand for an alternative arrangement to run the government, alleging that the state lacked direction after the chief minister was admitted in hospital. On Tuesday, DMK leader M K Stalin said the governor's move for the welfare of the people was welcome.

"There are many pressing issues to be dealt with, including inter-state water disputes. Cauvery case also comes up for hearing on October 17, and the north-east monsoon will be setting in soon. There is no dispute about having a responsible cabinet to handle the administration. There has to be a leader," Stalin said.

TMC leader G K Vasan has also welcomed the move, saying the governor has acted as per the Constitution.