Jaya close aide O Paneerselvam takes over as CM of Tamil Nadu

Sworn in at Raj Bhavan along with 31 others after the death of J Jayalalithaa

Tamil Nadu Finance Minister and J Jayalalithaa's close aide O Panneerselvam was sworn in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu early on Tuesday morning after the demise of Jayalalithaa at 11:30 on Monday night. Also, 31 other ministers also took oath as Cabinet ministers along with Panneerselvam.

Jayalalithaa, 68, passed away on Monday night at 11.30 pm following a cardiac arrest that she suffered the previous evening.

Earlier, Panneerselvam had been elected as the AIADMK legislature party leader at a meeting around 11 pm.

He was then sworn in as chief minister at Raj Bhavan by Governor C Vidyasagar Rao. 

This was a third time that Panneerselvam was taking oath as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu.

Unlike the two previous occasions, however, Panneerselvam was more composed this time. He maintained his calm during the oath-taking ceremony at Raj Bhavan.

Among the others sworn in, M C Sampath was given the portfolio of industy minister and Mafoi Pandiarajan of school education. Public administration, Indian Police Service and Legislative Assembly, among others, will be under Panneerselvam.