On Wednesday, Tamil Nadu Finance Minister O Panneerselvam headed the first cabinet meeting in the state since the hospitalization of CM J Jayalalithaa.
To nobody’s surprise, a framed portrait of the AIADMK chief was overseeing her cabinet’s meeting. While Jayalalithaa is confined to a hospital bed in Chennai, her picture was enough to let everyone on the table know who was still boss.
The governor’s office had allocated all portfolios held by J Jayalalithaa to O Panneerselvam on October 11. And the loyal soldier that he is, O Pannerselvam made sure that his CM's face was prominently displayed at the meeting.
However, this is not a new routine in Tamil Nadu.
Not just O Panneerselvam, but every meeting held in the state under the aegis of a minister or bureaucrat always has a portrait of Jayalalithaa present. And this was a custom at all official meetings even before Jayalalithaa was hospitalised.
Don’t believe? See the pictures below.
Social Welfare Minister V Saroja in a meeting regarding the welfare of disabled people on Oct 14. 2016.
Urban Development and Housing Minister Udumalai K Radhakrishnan addressing in a meeting on Oct 14. 2016.