TN Fin Min Panneerselvam holds Cabinet meeting

Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O Panneerselvam, who has been allocated portfolios of ailing Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, on Mon chaired a Cabinet meeting, the second this month. As in the first meeting on October 19, Panneerselvam chaired the cabinet meeting on Monday with a picture of Jayalalithaa placed on his desk and understood to have discussed key issues concerning the state.

The state government released a picture of the Cabinet meeting in session but did not spell out anything on the subjects that were deliberated.

However, sources told PTI that several issues, including the Cauvery river water row with Karnataka were discussed.

All state ministers, top bureaucrats including Chief Secretary P Rama Mohana Rao, participated in the meeting.

Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao had recently allocated the portfolios of Jayalalithaa to Panneerselvam in view of her hospitalisation since September 22. Meanwhile, the state government notified the appointment of Special Officers for administration of local bodies from tomorrow in view of cancellation of the elections to them slated for October 18 and 19. Block Development Officers of the respective Panchayat Unions have been appointed as Special Officers of the respective Village Panchayats effective tomorrow. An ordinance for appointment of the officers was promulgated last week since the terms of the present local bodies came to an end on Monday. The Madras High Court in its interim order of October 4 had quashed the poll notification for local body polls.