Jayalalithaa’s photo and an empty chair Preside over Tamil Nadu cabinet meeting

Mangalore Today News Network

Chennai, Oct 19, 2016: J Jayalalithaa was not present at a meeting of the Tamil Nadu cabinet today, the first since the chief minister was hospitalised three weeks ago, but her photograph had pride of place.

O Panneerselvam, who is standing in for Ms Jayalalithaa and chaired today’s meeting, sat with her photograph placed before him. Not surprisingly, Mr Panneerselvam did not take the chief minister’s chair, which was vacant through the meeting.

The last time Mr Panneerselvam, 65, stood in for Ms Jayalalithaa, while she was in prison in a corruption case, he had demonstrated his loyalty by refusing to use Ms Jayalalithaa’s office or the chief minister’s seat in the state assembly for eight months.

Mr Panneerselvam, the state’s finance minister, took over eight ministries that Ms Jayalalithaa personally supervises last week, after doctors advised that she would need a longer stay in hospital. He would also hold cabinet meetings on the advice of the chief minister, said Governor C Vidyasagar Rao.

The cabinet today reportedly discussed the Cauvery water row with neighbour Karnataka and also signed off on a number of projects, pledging to execute policies on schedule. It had last met in July this year to discuss the state budget.

Ms Jayalalithaa, 68, was admitted to Apollo Hospital in Chennai on September 22. Her party initially said she had fever and was dehydrated, but doctors later confirmed that she’s on respiratory support with a lung infection. A UK specialist has flown down several times to supervise her treatment and a team of three doctors from Delhi’s AIIMS hospital have also travelled to Chennai to check on the Chief Minister.

For the last week, neither doctors nor Ms Jayalalithaa’s party the AIADMK have shared updates on her health.

Opposition leaders have challenged the governor’s statement that Mr Panneerselvam was handed charge of Ms Jayalalithaa’s duties on her advice, hinting that they believe she is not fit enough to take decisions.

The AIADMK, however, has said that Ms Jayalalithaa is not critically unwell, and has been regularly briefed on government matters.

The last Cabinet meeting held by Jayalalithaa was in July this year to discuss the state budget.