O Panneerselvam sworn-in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu

O Panneerselvam was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on 5 December 2016. He succeeded AIADMK supremo and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister who earlier died at the Apollo Hospital.

Governor Ch. Vidyasagar Rao administered the oath of office and secrecy for Panneerselvam at a somber ceremony at the Raj Bhawan. Other 31 ministers of the erstwhile Jayalalithaa Cabinet were also sworn-in.

Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu J Jayalalithaa passes away

This was Panneerselvam’s third swearing-in as Chief Minister. Earlier, he had served Tamil Nadu as its Chief Minster, during 2001-02 and 2014-15, after Jayalalithaa was unseated by the courts.

Tamil Nadu government has announced a seven-day State Mourning from 6 November 2016. The government has also declared a three-day holiday for all educational institutions in the state.

O Panneerselvam sworn-in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu

O Panneerselvam

• Panneerselvam was born on 14 January 1951.

• He was once a tea stall owner and an agriculturist.

• He is a member of All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) party of Tamil Nadu.

• Panneerselvam served as the chairman of Periakulam municipality in 1996.

• He became the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in September 2001 when then Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was barred from holding office by the Supreme Court of India. He served the office till 2002.

• He also served as the Finance Minister of Tamil Nadu in the Jayalalithaa cabinet from 2011 to 2014.

• He represents the Bodinayakanur Assembly constituency in the current assembly. The constituency is located in Theni district.