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In the world of politics where plays are made to wrest power, O Panneeerselvam is one loyalist who stands out.
After submitting his resignation as the Tamil Nadu chief minister, for the second time in his political career, the leader still had a smile on his face, happy about facilitating All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalithaa's return as CM.
After submitting his resignation as the Tamil Nadu chief minister, for the second time in his political career, the leader still had a smile on his face, happy about facilitating All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalithaa's return as CM.
On social media, some talked about the contrast between Panneerselvam and former Bihar Chief Minister Jitan Ram Manjhi.
Manjhi, who became the Chief Minister of Bihar on May 20, 2014, and was alleged as a stop gap for JD(U) supremo Nitish Kumar, refused to resign from the position when the latter wanted to return as the Chief Minister.
On the contrary, Panneerselvam, who took oath as a Chief Minister after Jayalalithaa was convicted in the disporportionate asset case by a Special Court in Bengaluru in September, 2014, resigned quite happily.
64-year old Panneerselvam is a senior AIADMK member and was the Revenue Minister from May 19, 2001 to September 1, 2001. When Jayalalithaa had to step down as a Chief Minister following a Supreme Court verdict that she cannot hold the office after being convicted for criminal offences, Panneerselvam became the Chief Minister from September 21, 2001 upto March 1, 2002.
In 2002, Jayalalithaa again became the Chief Minister after being acquitted by the Madras High Court. She was later elected from Andipatti constituency.
Born on January 14, 1951 in Periyakulam in Theni district, Panneerselvam has a Bachelor of Arts degree and his occupation, according to records, is agriculture. He is married and has three children.
Panneerselvam was the Chairman of Periyakulam Municipality between 1996 and 2001, after which he became the revenue minister. After resigning as the Chief Minister in March, 2001, he was the Minister for Public Works, Prohibition and Excise from March 2002 to December 2002 and continued in the same position for next four years, from December 2002 to 2006.
During the next regime, when his rival party Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam ruled the State, he was a member of Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly, from 2006 to 2011. He also acted as the leader of the opposition during the time.
When the AIADMK came back to power in the next election, in 2011, elected from Bodinayakanur constituency of Theni District, he became the Minister for Finance and Public Works Department and held the position along with the post of CM after Jayalalithaa was convicted on September 27, 2014.
During his tenure as Chief Minister, he did not use the CM's cabinet and ran operations from the same office he had as the Minister of Finance. He, along with all his 29 ministers, never hesitated to attribute all decisions to Jayalalithaa. Panneerselvam was also the only minister who could meet Jayalalithaa on May 11, when she was acquitted by the Karnataka High Court.
