O. Panneerselvam

By: http://starsunfolded.com/

Ottakara Panneerselvam (born 14 January 1951) is an Indian politician

who has served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu since December 6,

2016. He had previously served in the same office in 2001-02 and 2014-

15. He is a member of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra

Kazhagam (AIADMK) and was a staunch loyalist of its late

leader Jayalalithaa. 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. His third and current term began following Chief Minister

Jayalalithaa's death.

Read More At: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/O._Panneerselvam

Introduction

Ottakara Panneerselvam (born 14 Jnuary 1951) is an Indian

politician who has served as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu since

December 6, 2016. He had previously served in the same office in 2001-

02 and 2014-15. He is a member of the All India Anna Dravida

Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) and was a staunch loyalist of its late

leader Jayalalithaa. 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. His third and current term began following Chief Minister

Jayalalithaa's death.

Personal life

O. Panneerselvam was born to Ottakkara Thevar & Palaniammal

Naachiar on 14 January 1951 in Periyakulam, Tamil Nadu. He started his

career as a tea stall owner.He studied BA (Economics) and discontinued

from the course. His close friend Salvuddin from Tenali encouraged him

into politics. He also owned some agricultural land. He is married to P.

Vijayalakshmi Naachiar and the couple has three children. He is

currently elected from the constituency of Bodinayakkanur which is

located in Theni district.

Political career

Early political career

He started his political career as chairman of Periyakulam Municipality

from 1996 to 2001.

First term as Chief Minister, 2001-2002

He was sworn in as the 13th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu in September

2001 when the Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa was barred from holding

office by the Supreme Court of India. During his stint as Chief Minister,

he was widely criticised for allegedly heading a puppet

government managed by Jayalalithaa. His tenure lasted for six months,

from 21 September 2001 to 1 March 2002. In March 2002, he resigned

as Chief Minister and Jayalalithaa was sworn in again after the Supreme

Court overturned her conviction and she won a by-

election from Andipatti assembly constituency. From 2 March 2002 to

13 December 2003, he was the Minister for Public Works, Prohibition

and Excise. Subsequently, he was also entrusted with the Revenue

department’s charge from 13 December 2003 to 2006.

Leader of the Opposition, 2006

After the party lost the assembly elections in May 2006, Panneerselvam

was the leader of the AIADMK legislative party and the Leader of the

Opposition in the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly for about two

weeks. In that election, he was elected to be the member of Tamil

Nadu legislative assembly from Periyakulam. After all the AIADMK

legislators were suspended by the speaker of the house, Jayalalithaa,

who had decided not to attend the Legislative Assembly, decided to

return and replaced Panneerselvam as the Leader of the Opposition.

Second term as Chief Minister, 2014-2015

In 2011, he contested as an AIADMK candidate from

the Bodinayakkanur Assembly constituency and won. Again, he became

the Finance Minister in Jayalalithaa's government and held the office

from 16 May 2011 to 27 Sep 2014. He was again entrusted with the

responsibility of being the 17th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on 29

September 2014 when Jayalalitha was convicted in the

disproportionate assets case. On 22 May 2015, he resigned as Chief

Minister and Jayalalithaa was sworn in again after the Karnataka High

Court acquitted her in the disproportionate assets case on 11 May

2015.

A year after his resignation, on 23 May 2016, he was sworn in as

Minister for Finance and Public Works Departments in Jayalalithaa's

government.

Third term as Chief Minister, 2016-present

On 6 December 2016, Panneerselvam was elected as the Chief Minister

of Tamil Nadu following the death of incumbent Chief

Minister Jayalalithaa.

Read More At: http://starsunfolded.com/o-panneerselvam/