Edappadi Palanisami occupies Jayalalithaa's chamber in secretariat

Chennai: Breaking from the tradition set by his predecessor O. Panneerselvam, Edappadi K. Palanisami on Monday occupied the chamber meant for Chief Minister, used by his late leader J. Jayalalithaa and also addressed the media from the conference hall inside the chamber.

 Mr Panneerselvam, during his tenure as CM thrice, never occupied the CM's chamber and functioned from his own cabin allotted to him as finance minister, as a mark of respect to his mentor late Jayalalithaa.

The former Chief Minister, even after Jayalalithaa's death, did not use the lavish suite meant for the Chief Minister at Tamil Nadu House in New Delhi. During his stay at the Tamil Nadu in December 2016 and January 2017, Panneerselvam had stayed at the executive rooms usually allotted to ministers.

This is the first time a Chief Minister from the AIADMK is occupying the chamber and the conference hall used by late Jayalalithaa. Also, in contrast to the scene when late Jayalalithaa took over as Chief Minister, his cabinet colleagues and party seniors surrounded Palanisami while he took charge.

No minister or party leader were present when Jayalalithaa took over as Chief Minister, the latest being in May 2016. When Mr Panneerselvam was the chief minister, late Jayalalithaa's chamber was kept locked and name board was still intact on the wall, but now the name board has been replaced with one bearing Palanisami’s name.