The 63-year-old O Panneerselvam, MLA, represents the Bodinayakanur Constituency in Theni District, and takes over as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu for the second time from J Jayalalithaa.
A staunch Jayalalithaa loyalist, Panneerselvam, the Finance Minister, is also the treasurer of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam, the ruling party. This is his third time as MLA. Born on January 14, 1951, in Periakulam, he was first elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly in 2001. He was then the Minister for Public Works, Prohibition, Excise and Revenue.
For a few months between September 21, 2001, and March 1, 2002, he was made the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu after the Supreme Court disqualified Jayalalithaa from holding office in May 2001. This followed her conviction in the Tansi land deal case for which she was awarded a two-year jail term.
She was subsequently acquitted and resumed office in 2002.
Panneerselvam was also a MLA between 2006 and 2011 when the AIADMK was in the Opposition. Panneerselvam is a graduate and prior to his election to the legislature, he was the Chairman of Periakulam Municipality between 1996 and 2001.