Panneerselvam tenders resignation as Tamil Nadu CM citing personal reason

Chennai: Citing personal reasons for stepping down as the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, O Panneerselvam on Sunday tendered his resignation from the post.

In a letter to Governor C.H. Vidyasagar Rao, Panneerselvam requested him to accept his resignation and relieve the Council of Ministers of the state appointed by him during his tenure."Due to my personal reason, I am tendering my resignation from the post of Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu.

Kindly accept my resignation and relieve the Council of Ministers of Tamil Nadu appointed by me on Decemeber 6, 2016," the letter read.

Earlier in the day, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(AIADMK) general secretary Sasikala Natarajan was elected as the legislative party leader thereby clearing decks for her to become the next Chief Minister.Panneerselvam proposed Natarajan`s name as the leader of AIADMK legislature party leader.

"AIADMK chief Sasikala Natarajan aka Chinamma all set to become the next Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. AIADMK MLAs elect Sasikala Natarajan as legislative party leader. Current Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam proposed the name of Chinnamma (Sasikala Natarajan) as the leader of AIADMK Legislature Party Leader," AIADMK said in a statement.

Paneerselvam was appointed as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on December 6, 2016 following J Jayalalithaa`s demise.

Previously he served in the same office in 2001-02 and 2014-15. His first two terms as chief minister came to be when he replaced Jayalalithaa in the role, after she was forced to resign by the courts.