CHENNAI, Sept 28:
Handpicked by J Jayalalithaa, O Panneerselvam, the ‘Mr Faithful’ of the AIADMK supremo, is all set to be the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after he was today elected as leader of the legislature party in the wake of her conviction in an illegal assets case.
In swift developments, 63-year-old Panneerselvam, who was chosen by Jayalalithaa to fill her shoes in a similar situation in 2001, was unanimously elected as leader of AIADMK Legislature Party and promptly invited by Governor K Rosaiah to form Government, a day after she was sent to jail for four years leading to her disqualification from the Assembly.
A trusted lieutenant of Jayalalithaa, Panneerselvam belongs to the dominant Mudukulathor community and has risen from humble origins. He once ran a tea stall which his family still owns. Elected for the first time to the Assembly in 2001, he held two key portfolios of Finance and Public Works in her Ministry. He is also the AIADMK Treasurer.
Indications are that he is likely to be sworn-in tomorrow although there was no official confirmation from Raj Bhavan.(PTI)
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