Jayalalithaa's portfolios to be allocated to O Panneerselvam

Chennai: Political parties including principal opposition party DMK welcomed Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao’s decision to allocate all the portfolios held by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, who continues to undergo treatment in the hospital since September 22, to finance minister O. Panneerselvam.

“Tamil Nadu faced with issues like Cauvery, Mullaiperiyar and Pallar at this juncture there needs to be a head of the government who can take decisions. I welcome this decision to allot the portfolios of the Chief Minister to the senior most minister,” said leader of Opposition and DMK treasurer M.K. Stalin.

Mr Stalin said that he and his party leader M. Karunanidhi has been demanding appointment of an interim Chief Minister or to enable a senior minister to run the administration in the interest of the state till Chief Minister returns to the office.

“Governor has issued an order allocating the portfolios held by Chief Minister to finance minister O. Pannerselvam even though some people who were not bothered about the welfare of the state were opposing such a move,” he
noted.

BJP state president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan welcomed the Governor’s decision saying that it was taken in a democratic way. “It is a good move as it will ensure trouble free functioning of the government administration,” she said. TNCC president Su. Thirunavukkarasar, VCK president Thol. Thirumavala-van and CPI state secretary R. Mutharasan also welcomed the alternate arrangement to run the government administration.

“All leaders who have visited the Chief Minister at the hospital have said clearly that she is recovering and would return home very soon. Doctors feel and we in the AIADMK also feel that the Chief Minister should take rest. She had never taken rest because of her commitment to the state and we feel this is the time for her to take rest. She is going to come back home very soon. The announcement by the Governor is an interim arrangement and this is to ensure that administration process is smooth. And OPS is a very simple and loyal man who has been Chief Minister earlier,” C.R. Saraswathi, AIADMK Spokesperson, said.