O Panneerselvam – All you need to know about Jayalalithaa's successor

Panneerselvam was sworn in as Tamil Nadu's new Chief Minister around 1.15 AM by Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao at the Raj Bhavan.

Image Courtesy: ANI

New Delhi: Soon after Jayalalitha breathed her last at Apollo Hospitals in Chennai, O Pannerselvam was sworn in as Tamil Nadu's new Chief Minister today.

Mr Panneerselvam kept a picture of Jayalalithaa on the dais before taking the oath. He was sworn in around 1.15 AM by Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao at the Raj Bhavan. 31 ministers, all of them members of the previous Jayalalithaa cabinet, also took oath in a simultaneous swearing-in.

Here are few facts you must know about Amma's successor:

Panneerselvam is a staunch Jayalalithaa loyalist.

Popularly known as OPS, he held the post of CM two times earlier, in absence of Jayalalithaa.

He was also given charge of the eight ministries she personally supervised and chaired cabinet meetings since 'Amma', as known to millions of her followers, was hospitalised.

He hails from a middle-class family in Periyakulam in Theni district.

DMK leader M K Stalin once called him a ‘benami’ CM, after he was made the CM in 2014, a period when Jayalalithaa was imprisoned. Panneerselvam had been shying away from convening the winter session of legislative assembly.

Jayalalithaa, one of the country's most powerful and popular politicians, suffered a cardiac arrest in the hospital on Sunday where she was admitted since September 22. She was put on life support systems and her condition was said to be very critical.

Jayalalithaa’s body was brought to her residence, Poes Garden past midnight, from where it was taken to Rajaji Hall for the public to pay their last respects.

Supporters clashed with police outside her residence as security personnel struggled to restore calm.

The government has declared seven days of mourning, with education institutions set to be closed for three days.

As a mark of respect to the departed leader, the state government has also declared Decembver 6 as public holiday.