Edappadi K Palanisamy takes charge as Tamil Nadu CM

CHENNAI: Edappadi K. Palanisami handpicked by AIADMK general secretary V.K. Sasikala for the top job, was on Thursday sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, replacing caretaker CM, O. Panneerselvam. The western Tamil Nadu strongman now heads a 30-member Cabinet, thus bringing to an end the 11-day long political crisis that saw the state placed on a razor’s edge.

Mr Palanisami, clearly on the advice of Ms Sasikala, brought old-timer and party’s newly-appointed presidium chairman K.A. Sengottaiyan as school education and sports minister in place of ‘MaFoi’ K. Pandiarajan, who shifted his loyalty to the Panneerselvam camp. The new ministry did not have any major changes with the other 29 ministers finding place in the Cabinet with their portfolios intact.

The Governor, CH Vidyasagar Rao, administered oath of office and secrecy to Mr Palanisami and 30 of his cabinet colleagues at a simple ceremony at the Raj Bhavan after at 4.30 pm.  The new pecking order in an AIADMK modified after the split fuelled by Mr Panneerselvam’s rebellion against Ms Sasikala was visible all over the simple swearing-in ceremony and events thereafter. TTV Dinakaran, the new deputy general secretary of AIADMK and nephew of Ms Sasikala, was seated in the front row and he accompanied Palanisami and his cabinet members to the memorials of MG Ramachandran and J.Jayalalithaa.

Meanwhile, Modi tweeted, “Spoke to Thiru Edappadi K. Palaniswami & congratulated him on taking over as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.”   The Prime Minister made the phone call hours after Palaniswmi was sworn in as the Chief Minister.