LIVE: Palaniswami takes oath as Tamil Nadu CM

Palaniswamy succeeds O. Panneerselvam, who became Chief Minister after the December 5 death of J. Jayalalithaa. Photo: ABP News

Chennai: E. Palaniswamy, a loyalist of the now jailed AIADMK General Secretary V.K. Sasikala, on Thursday took oath as the new Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.  Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao administered the oath of office and secrecy to Palaniswamy and his ministers at the Raj Bhavan. Palaniswamy succeeds O. Panneerselvam, who became Chief Minister after the December 5 death of J. Jayalalithaa. Earlier in the day, the Governor had met Palaniswami -- the third meeting between the two since February 14 when AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala was convicted by the Supreme Court in an assets case, dealing a body blow to her ambition of becoming Chief Minister. Palanisamy will have to prove his majority in the assembly within 15 days, the Governor's office said.

• Most of the ministers under O Panneerselvam to be retained.

Council of ministers headed by Edappadi K Palanisami will be sworn in at Raj Bhavan at 4 pm today. @abpnewstv

— Pinky Rajpurohit (@Madrassan) February 16, 2017

Celebrations outside Raj Bhavan bu a group of Sasikala supporters, shouting slogans. @abpnewstv pic.twitter.com/ygDUxRI6c9 — Pinky Rajpurohit (@Madrassan) February 16, 2017

The decision was conveyed to Palanisamy when he called on the Governor earlier in the day. The news triggered wild celebrations at a resort near here where AIADMK MLAs backing the now jailed Sasikala are holed up. Palanisamy's supporters claimed on Wednesday night that he had the backing of 124 of the 135 party legislators as opposed to acting Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam. AIADMK sources said Panneerselvam, who had wanted to remain the Chief Minister, went into a huddle with his supporters after the Governor told Palanisamy to take oath. (IANS)

Officials Press release from Raj Bhavan inviting E Palanisamy to form Govt, to prove majority on 15 days. @abpnewstv pic.twitter.com/PfYIbMZ9cL

— Pinky Rajpurohit (@Madrassan) February 16, 2017

 

Honourable Governor invites AIADMK's legislature party leader Thiru.Edapadi K.Palanisamy.#Amma's Victory — AIADMK (@AIADMKOfficial) February 16, 2017

Here are live updates: [caption id="attachment_493959" align="aligncenter" width="300"] "Governor invites AIADMK's legislature party leader Edapadi K.Palanisamy", said AIADMK. (Image courtesy: ANI-Twitter)[/caption]

• TN Minister Jayakumar, KA Sengottaiyan, S.P. Velumani, T.T. Dinakaran, K. P. Anbazhagan also part of Palanisamy delegation at Raj Bhavan
• E. Palanisamy reaches Governor C.Vidyasagar Rao's residence
• Governor's Office says, E.Palanisamy will meet Governor C.Vidyasagar Rao at 11.30 am

Meanwhile, five member team including E. Palanisamy and K A Sengottaiyan left from Golden Bay resort to meet Governor C.Vidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhawan. All eyes are now on Governor C Vidyasagar Rao over the swearing-in of the new Tamil Nadu Chief Minister after Edapaddi K Palaniswami and rival O Panneerselvam met him with claims of majority support of AIADMK MLAs. AIADMK legislature party leader Palaniswami, who had called on the Governor to stake claim for forming the government, met him again on Wednesday evening, with his camp claiming support of 124 of the party's 134 MLAs. Tamil Nadu has a 234-member legislative assembly. Panneerselvam seeks opportunity to demonstrate majority support Panneerselvam gave a representation to the Governor claiming "majority" support and seeking an opportunity to demonstrate it. The Panneerselvam camp has alleged AIADMK MLAs were held at a resort on Chennai's outskirts against their wish. Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, who was among those who accompanied Palaniswami, claimed the group has the support of 124 MLAs. "We have given the Governor a list of legislators supporting our legislature party leader Palaniswami. Governor told us that our representation will be considered and we are confident that democracy will be protected," Jayakumar told reporters after the meeting. "We have told Governor Rao that Palaniswami enjoys the support of a majority of MLAs and hence he should be invited to form the government," he said. Governor Rao, who was on Moday advised by Attorney General Mukul Rohatgi to convene a special session of the Legislative Assembly within a week for holding a composite floor test, is yet to take a call on whom to invite to form the government first or to go for a trial of strength in the assembly. The Governor had earlier kept his decision pending as the verdict in the disproportionate assets case against AIADMK general secretary V K Sasikala, a claimant for chief ministership, was due to be announced by the Supreme Court, which delivered it yesterday, restoring her conviction and sentence, which shattered her hopes of occupying the top seat. While O Panneerselvam has managed to win over 10 odd MPs and some MLAs, Sasikala has been able to rally the support of an overwhelming majority of AIADMK MLAs. Though Panneerselvam does not have the explicit support of a very large number of MLAs, he has been insisting he would prove majority on the floor of the House if asked to do so. It remains to be seen whether the Governor goes by the AG's advice for a floor test by the two competing claimants for chief ministership or invites Palaniswami to form the government. Before she began serving the remnant three years, 10 months and 27 days sentence in a Karnataka prison this evening, in a surprise move, Sasikala reinducted her close relatives T T V Dinkaran and S Venkatesh into the party, five years after their expulsion by AIADMK supremo and the then chief minister J Jayalalithaa. Sasikala appoints Dinakaran deputy general secretary of AIADMK Sasikala appointed Dinakaran, her nephew and former Rajya Sabha member, the deputy general secretary of AIADMK, a move seen by many as an attempt to hand over the party's control to him till her return from jail. There were rumblings in the party over Dinakaran's appointment, with senior AIADMK leader V Karuppasamy Pandian resigning as the party's organisation secretary. An angry Pandian went to the extent of questioning Sasikala's authority of reinducting people expelled by Jayalalithaa, and asking if AIADMK was her "family property". While re-admitting Dinakaran and Venkatesh into the party, Sasikala said the two had tendered apology for their actions.