Panneerselvam sticks to low-profile stature

Chennai: “He is not meeting anyone now, please come after Wednesday and sir is leaving to Bengaluru,” was the routine answer for several party functionaries and officers, who arrived to meet the new CM at the secretariat.

Mr Panneerselvam confined himself to his chamber that had been assigned to him as the finance and public works minister. The CM’s board and the Black Cat commandos seen with former CM Jayalalithaa were also missing outside Panneerselvam’s chamber.

He also did not have the lengthy convoy of cars associated with his predecessor. As he was leaving the secretariat, on his way to Bengaluru, the cadres screamed at the new CM, “Ayya… ammave epidiyavathu kuttitu vanthudunga” (At all costs, bring back Amma when you come).

“Without Amma it’s a bad phase for us. And for now, the only thing that is left for us is to preach and practice along the directions Amma had given us. We are waiting for Amma’s return, until then there is nothing left for us to look upon,” said S. Gokula Indira, minister for textiles and handlooms.

Earlier in the day chief secretary Mohan Verghese Chunkath, chief advisor to government Sheela Balakrishnan, department secretaries and senior police officers attended the swearing in ceremony.