Edappadi K Palaniswami, the leader of the AIADMK Legislature Party, took oath as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister on Thursday. He heads a 31-member Cabinet.
He was being administered oath of office and secrecy by the Tamil Nadu Governor, Vidyasagar Rao.
Except O. Panneerselvam and Ma Foi K. Pandiarajan,Palaniswami has retained the outgoing Council of Ministers. Palaniswami has been given 15 days to prove his majority.
It was a collective oath-taking ceremony. The first set of eight ministers along with Edappadi Palaniswami took oath.
He took over as the leader of AIADMK Legislature Party from VK Sasikala, on Tuesday, after she was convicted in a corruption case and ordered to be imprisoned for four years. She surrendered on Wednesday at the Special Court in Bengaluru and was jailed.
Earlier, Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao invited Palaniswami to form the government and gave him two weeks to prove his majority in the Assembly.
The swearing-in marks a significant milestone in the infighting in the ruling party after VK Sasikala, the general secretary of the AIADMK staked her claim to become the chief minister on February 5.
O Panneerselvam, the then chief minister resigned, but said he was coerced into giving up his post. He claimed he had majority support of the MLAs and represented to the Governor to allow him to withdraw his resignation.
He continued as the caretaker chief minister.
But Sasikala-faction had the letters of support of 124 MLAs in the 134-strong AIADMK team in the legislature. She brought in Palaniswami in her stead and also made her nephew TTV Dinakaran the Deputy General Secretary of the party.
However, in an interaction with the media, Panneerselvam said his fight will continue.