Many predicted that O Panneerselvam, who had taken charge as chief minister earlier when Jayalalithaa was disqualified by a Supreme Court order, would be appointed again. However, this time, there were some new names that featured in media discussions. One of them was Sheela Balakrishnan, a former chief secretary of Tamil Nadu and current adviser to Jayalalithaa.
The 60-year-old Balakrishnan, a native of Thiruvananthapuram in Kerala, has been a confidante of Jayalalithaa for quite some time. The 1976 batch Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer started her career as assistant collector (training) in Thanjavur, Tamil Nadu, in 1977. In 1983, she was appointed the social welfare director and almost nine years after that commissioner of industries and commerce.
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Balakrishnan was the commissioner of fisheries between 1996 and 1998, and secretary of the social welfare and nutritious meal programme department in 2000-2001. She was appointed transport secretary in 2001 and in 2002 she joined the office of the chief minister. Sources said Balakrishnan won Jayalalithaa's confidence during this stint.
With the change in regime, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) posted Balakrishnan as commissioner of disciplinary proceedings, Salem, in 2006. A year later, she was posted back to Chennai, to head the Anna Institute of Management.
Balakrishnan returned to Jayalalithaa's close circle when the AIADMK supremo took over as chief minister in 2011. She was appointed additional chief secretary (social welfare and nutritious meal programme).
Balakrishnan's name did the rounds when Debendranath Sarangi, the then chief secretary, was retiring in December, 2012. Jayalalithaa preferred her over her husband R Balakrishnan, the seniormost IAS officer in the state at that time.
Balakrishnan was chief secretary till March 2014, when she retired. According to sources close to the secretariat, she was one of the most powerful officials in the state. The chemistry between the chief minister and the chief secretary was perfect, they said.
On retirement Balakrishnan was made advisor to the chief minister. It was from this position that her name came up as a potential Jayalalithaa nominee. However, political analysts said she lacked the political background to become chief minister.
Politicians and the bureaucracy alike are watching Balakrishnan's moves carefully. She seems to be emerging as the principal conduit between Jayalalithaa in jail and her nominee, Panneerselvam. Balakrishnan could end up becoming more powerful than the chief minister, whom Jayalalithaa has refused to meet in prison.