Chennai
Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao administered the oath of office and secrecy to Mr Palaniswami, who assumed office as the 13th CM of the State, and his Council of Ministers a function held at the Durbar hall of Raj Bhavan, even as slogans haling 'Chinnamma' (as Sasikala is called), rent the air.
Mr Palaniswami retained the members same Cabinet with their same portfolios that was headed by outgoing CM and 'rebel' leader O Panneerselvam, who expectedly missed out of the list.
First Mr Palaniswami took the oath in the name of God. He was followed by induction of other ministers, who also took the oath in the name of God in groups.
The only new face was the return of former Minister and party stalwart K A Sengottaiyan, who was made number three in the Cabinet, and allocted the portfolios of School Education and Sports and Youth Welfare.
Sengottaiyan replaced Ma Foi Pandiarajan, who also turned rebel and joined the OPS camp. Mr Palaniswamy would handle all the portfolios held by the outgoing CM, including the key portfolio of Finance.
The swearing in of the new government ended the ten-day long stalemate and political uncertainty in the State following the power struggle within the ruling party between AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala and OPS, who had turned rebel, by stating that he was forced to step down.
Mr Palaniswami, two days after his election as AIADMK Legislature Party (LP) leader met the Governor for the third time in as many days, explained to him that he enjoyed the support of majority of MLAs, following which he was appointed as the CM and invited to form the next government.
Soon after this, Mr Palaniswami finalised the list of his Cabinet Ministers to be sworn in along with him and got the Governor's approval.
The swearing in of the new government ended the ten-day long stalemate and political uncertainty in the State following the power struggle within the ruling party between AIADMK General Secretary V K Sasikala and OPS, who had turned rebel, by stating that he was forced to step down.
Mr Palaniswami, two days after his election as AIADMK Legislature Party (LP) leader met the Governor for the third time in as many days, explained to him that he enjoyed the support of majority of MLAs, following which he was appointed as the CM and invited to form the next government.
Soon after this, Mr Palaniswami finalised the list of his Cabinet Ministers to be sworn in along with him and got the Governor's approval.
In the meantime, after a meeting on February eight, in a bid to prevent them from switching over the rival camp, all the MLAs supporting Sasikala were taken in an AC bus to a resort at Koovathur where they have been 'housed' for nearly ten days.
The OPS camp said that the MLAs were illegally detained, but police and revenue officials visited the resort following court order and submitted a report that they were staying on their own willingness.
As the political uncertainty continued, came the Apex Court order on February 14, convicting Sasikala and two of her relatives in the DA case, shattering her CM hopes and resulting in the election of Palaniswami in place of her.
And the curtains finally came down on the ten-day long political turmoil in the State, with the Governor swearing in a new cabinet headed by Mr Palaniswami.
List of new Cabinet Ministers of TN
Following is the list of the new Council of Ministers who were sworn in along with Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami by Governor CH Vidyasagar Rao at Raj Bhavan.
CABINET MINISTERS :
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