Chennai: Tamil Nadu Governor Vidhyasagar Rao on Tuesday allocated the portfolios held by ailing Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa to Finance Minister O Panneerselvam, but said the former would continue to be the chief minister.
He said the transfer of portfolios was as per the AIADMK supremo’s advice.
"This arrangement has been made as per the advice of the Chief Minister and will continue until the Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa resumes her duties," it said. "Jayalalithaa will continue to be the Chief Minister," the release added.
Panneerselvam, a long-time trusted lieutenant of ‘Amma’, a monicker for Jayalalithaa, had been holding the portfolios of Finance, Personnel and Administrative Reforms. In addition, he will now handle Home, General Administration, Police Services, Forests, District Revenue Administration and other posts.
Jayalalithaa, who earlier this year won a historic mandate to return as chief minister for the second consecutive term, was taken ill on September 22. Suffering from fever and dehydration, she was admitted to Apollo Hospitals in the city. Dr Richard John Beale, an intensivist from London, was roped in to consult and top doctors from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi also joined the treatment.
On Friday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi paid a surprise visit to the hospital.
While it was widely expected that there would a change in the top management of the state, no such announcement had come out.
(With PTI inputs)
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