Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday appointed DMK president M.K. Stalin as the Chief Minister and invited him to form the government in the State on May 7. The swearing-in ceremony of the Cabinet of Ministers is underway.
Here are the live updates:
Ceremony concludes
DMK cadres celebrating the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin by distributing sweets and clothes to people in Salem on Friday, May 07, 2021.
DMK cadres celebrating the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin by distributing sweets and clothes to people in Salem on Friday, May 07, 2021.
The swearing-in ceremony concludes. Chief Minister M.K. Stalin and his Ministers take a photograph with Governor Banwarilal Purohit.
The first meeting of the Cabinet will be held on Friday evening, sources said.
Cadre celebrates with sweets and crackers
DMK cadre celebrating the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin with crackers and sweets in Coimbatore on May 7, 2021.
Only two women Members
The only two women representatives in the Cabinet are P. Geetha Jeevan (Minister for Social Welfare and Women Empowerment), who was part of the DMK Cabinet between 2006 and 2011, and Kayalvizhi Selvaraj (number 34 in the Cabinet order), who will handle the Department of Adi Dravidar Welfare.
Four Members more than Palaniswami Ministry
The 34-member Cabinet that includes veterans and 15 new faces and just two women. The Cabinet size is four more than that of the outgoing Edappadi K. Palaniswami Ministry.
While old warhorse and party general secretary Duraimurugan will be the number two in the Cabinet, handling the newly established Department of Water Resources, the focus — in the midst of the raging second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic — is on former Chennai Mayor Ma Subramanian, who has been appointed Minister for Medical and Family Welfare, including the Health portfolio. In the pecking order of the Cabinet, though, he is at number 22.
Mr. Duraimurugan will also handle the portfolios of Minor Irrigation, Assembly, Governor and Cabinet, Elections, Passport, Minerals and Mines.
Cabinet to have 34 Ministers
The DMK government under Chief Minister M.K. Stalin will have 34 Ministers. While veteran leader Duraimurugan is designated number two in the Cabinet with Water Resources portfolio, former Chennai Mayor Ma. Subramaniam is the new Minister for Medical and Family Welfare and will handle Health Department in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Madurai Central MLA Palanivel Thiagarajan will hold the finance portfolio.
Following a communication from Mr. Stalin, who sent a list of persons to be appointed as Ministers, Governor Banwarilal Purohit approved the recommendations.
Full list of Tamil Nadu Cabinet and Council of Ministers
Kamal Hasan, Vaiko in attendance
Former Deputy Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam, Makkal Neethi Mayam founder Kamal Haasan and MDMK general secretary Vaiko attend the swearing-in ceremony.
Stalin sworn-in as Chief Minister
DMK president was sworn-in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on May 7, 2021.
M.K. Stalin being sworn in as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu by Governor Banwarilal Purohit.
As the CM, Mr. Stalin would hold public, general administration, Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, Other All India Service, District Revenue Officers, Police, Home, Special Initiatives, Special Programme Implementation, Welfare of Differently abled persons.
Governor invites Stalin to form government
DMK president M.K. Stalin handing over a letter of his election as Legislature Party Leader to Governor Banwarilal Purohit on May 5, 2021. Photo: Special Arrangement
Tamil Nadu Governor Banwarilal Purohit on Wednesday appointed DMK president M.K. Stalin as the Chief Minister and invited him to form the government in the State on May 7. Earlier, Mr. Stalin called on Mr. Purohit in the Raj Bhavan and staked claim to form the government . Mr. Stalin handed over the letter of his election as leader of the DMK Legislature Party.
“The Governor of Tamil Nadu appointed him [Mr. Stalin] as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and invited him to form the Ministry and to have swearing-in ceremony on May 7 2021 at 9 am at Raj Bhavan, Chennai,” an official communication from the Raj Bhavan on Wednesday evening stated.
Earlier on Wednesday, Governor’s Secretary Anandrao Vishnu Patil visited Mr. Stalin’s residence and handed over the official communication in this regard, party sources said. Official sources said that Mr. Stalin would be sworn in as the Chief Minister in a simple ceremony.
DMK general secretary Duraimurugan, treasurer T.R. Baalu, principal secretary K.N. Nehru and Rajya Sabha MP R.S. Bharathi accompanied Mr. Stalin to the Raj Bhavan.
'Watch ceremony on television channels'
Public watched the live telecast of the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on televisions and mobile phones in Coimbatore on May 7, 2021.
Public watched the live telecast of the swearing-in ceremony of Chief Minister M.K. Stalin on televisions and mobile phones in Coimbatore on May 7, 2021.
DMK president called upon partymen to watch the ceremony on television channels from their homes, as the pandemic caused by COVID-19 has prevented his organising a public event.
In a statement in Chennai on Thursday, Mr. Stalin said he had planned a public event in the presence of party cadres, whose relentless work had ensured victory for the party. “But the pandemic has emerged as a second wave and a public function is not possible. Your health is my priority. Watch it from your home. You will be with me in Chennai mentally,” he added.
Mr. Stalin said May 7 was a golden letter day in the political history of Tamil Nadu as the DMK would assume power for the sixth time. “I take pride in the fact that I am going to occupy the seat once occupied by Anna [C N Annadurai] and Kalaignar [M Karunanidhi] through sheer hard work,” he said.
