O Panneerselvam and his Cabinet will take oath on Monday Sep 29,2014.
O Panneerselvam was formally elected by AIADMK MLAs at a meeting in Chennai on Sunday. This will be his second innings as Chief Minister.
O Panneerselvam was first elected the Tamil Nadu CM in 2001 when J Jayalalithaa was convicted in TANSI land scam.
O Panneerselvam is the first man from the Thevar community to become the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. Representing Bodinayakanur Assembly constituency in Theni District in the current assembly
Once a tea stall owner, Jayalalithaa's trusted lieutenant O Panneerselvam is set to become Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the second time since 2001, when he made his Assembly debut. The 63-year-old leader from Thevar community held two key portfolios of Finance and Public Works in the Jayalalithaa Ministry.
J Jayalalithaa had taken everyone by surprise by handpicking him to fill her shoes in 2001 when she had to step down due to her conviction in TANSI land scam. The staunch Jayalalithaa loyalist chose not to function from the chair on which his 'revered' leader sat while he performed the role of the nightwatchman.
He duly vacated the post after Jayalalithaa was acquitted in the case. But this time his selection was expected by many after she was sent to jail in a graft case as the stature of the leader, known for his unflinching devotion to Jayalalithaa, has grown in the party over the years.
Tearful OPS sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister
Dramatic scenes were on display at a modest swearing-in ceremony at the Raj Bhavan on Monday Sep 29,2014, where a visibly overwhelmed O. Panneerselvam stepped in to fill the vacuum left behind by the arrest of his mentor and former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa.
Governor K. Rosaiah administered the oath of office and secrecy to Panneerselvam, 63, at a low-key ceremony shorn of the usual fanfare.
A Finance Minister in Jayalalithaa's Cabinet, Panneerselvam took out a small photograph of the AIADMK supremo, placed it on the lectern and wiped tears while repeating the oath.
At one point of time, Rosaiah was seen comforting the new Chief Minister.
Popularly called 'OPS' in political circles of Tamil Nadu, Panneerselvam finds himself in the top post for the second time since 2001.
Political pundits drew parallels while comparing the two incidents, as the AIADMK leader had taken over as interim Chief Minister when Jayalalithaa was convicted and sentenced to jail.
On Sunday, Panneerselvam was elected as Leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party after Jayalalithaa was sentenced to four-years imprisonment by a Bangalore court in a disproportionate assets case on September 27.
Many ministers broke down as they approached the podium to take oath after Panneerselvam. The new CM chose not to make changes in the state Cabinet.
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