Paneerselvam sworn in CM

By Our Special Correspondent

CHENNAI, SEPT. 21. In a sombre ceremony at the Raj Bhavan here today, the new Chief Minister, Mr. O. Paneerselvam, and his Council of Ministers were sworn in by the Governor, Mr. C. Rangarajan.

The attendant jubilation of a swearing-in ceremony was remarkably absent; instead a few Ministers, particularly women, broke into anguished sobs. The 24-member Cabinet retained the old pack of Ministers with just two changes - the Housing Minister, Mr. A. K. Selvaraj in the Jayalalithaa Ministry was dropped and Mr. S. M. Velusamy inducted.

Predictably, it came as a rude shock for Mr. Selvaraj, who gave a violent jerk when the national anthem was played marking the end of the ceremony without his being called to take the oath.

All through the one-and-a-half-hour ceremony held in the Durbar hall, AIADMK functionaries, barring the MP, Mr. T. T. V. Dinakaran, and the former Andipatti MLA, Mr. Thanga Thamizhselvam, wore a mournful look.

While Mr. Paneerselvam was seen wiping his tears before assuming office, the women Ministers - Mrs. B.Valarmathi, Ms. R. Saroja and Ms. Valarmathi Jebaraj - took the oath in an emotion-choked tone. ``We are with you,'' Ms.Saroja sobbed, after she took the oath.

A majority of the Ministers, besides the Chief Minister, fell at the feet of Ms.Jayalalithaa before and after they were sworn in.

Just half-an-hour after the AIADMK Legislature Party came up with the surprise choice of Mr. Paneerselvam, the partymen began to assemble in the Durbar hall. The first to arrive was the Speaker, Mr. K. Kalimuthu, followed by senior Ministers, Mr. C. Ponnaiyan and Mr. M. Thambi Durai. The Chief Minister-elect came in at 8.02 p.m. and ten minutes later, Ms. Jayalalithaa arrived along with her friend, Ms. Sasikala. The three who were seated in a sofa posed for the waiting lensmen.

Then, the ceremony began at 8.16 p.m. with the Chief Secretary, Mr. P. Shankar, requesting the Governor to administer the oath of office and secrecy to the new Chief Minister.

All Ministers took the oath in the name of God.

After the ceremony, the new Chief Minister along with his Cabinet colleagues, joined in for a photo session.

When scribes besieged Mr. Paneerselvam with queries on the Cauvery River Authority meeting scheduled for tomorrow in New Delhi, Mr. Ponnaiyan, whisked him away.

However, Mr. Thalavai Sundaram, who held the PWD portfolio in the Jayalalithaa Cabinet, said he would meet the Chief Minister to decide on the further course of action.

None of the leaders of the AIADMK's allies attended the ceremony.

Following are the Ministers who assumed office today:

Mr. C. Ponniayan, Mr. M. Thambi Durai, Mr. D. Jayakumar, Mr. P. C. Ramasamy, Mr. S. Semmalai, Mr. C. Durairaj, Mr. A. Anwar Rhazza, Mr. K. Pandurangan, Mr. P. Dhanapal, Mr. N. Thalavai Sundaram, Mr. S. S. Thirunavukkarasu, Mr. R. Jeevanantham, Ms. R. Saroja, Ms. B. Valarmathi, Mr. V. Subramanian, Mr. S. P. Shanmuganathan, Mr. K. P. Rajendra Prasad, Mr. R. Vaithilingam, Mr. C. Shanmugavelu, Mr. C. Ve. Shanmugam, Mr. S .M. Velusami, Mr. Nainar Nagendran, and Ms. Valarmathi Jebaraj.

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Section  : Southern States
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