DMK chief Karunanidhi terms portfolio allocation on Tamil Nadu CM Jayalalitha's advise as 'surprising'

DMK chief M Karunanidhi on Wednesday termed as "surprising" Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao's remarksstating that the allocation of portfolios held by Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa to Finance Minister OPanneerselvam was done "as per her advice".

"This is because a question has arisen among some peopleif Jayalalithaa had (actually) signed the file and renderedadvice (regarding) allotting her portfolios to FinanceMinister Panneerselvam," Karunanidhi said in a statement here. "The Governor's communique yesterday that this(portfolios' allocation) has been done on the advice of ChiefMinister is surprising," he said.

His views come a day after his party treasurer and son MK Stalin welcomed the allocation of portfolios held byJayalalithaa to her trusted aide. Karunanidhi claimed that when a slew of leaders,including Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Union MinisterVenkaiah Naidu and Stalin, visited the hospital "they were notgiven the opportunity to directly see her and enquire abouther health".

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There was no official statement from the governmentthough she has been hospitalised for the past 19 days and ithas also been said that she may have to stay in the hospitalfor a longer period, he said.

He said the announcement that Panneerselvam will takecare of Jayalalithaa's portfolios can be "accepted" as anarrangement for "administrative convenience". The "suspicion whether the Governor had fully consideredall the dimensions of the Constitution...before giving his nodfor the new arrangement cannot be fully ignored," he added.

He recalled his earlier view that "till such time ChiefMinister Jayalalithaa resumes her duties, our plea is that anappropriate, legal arrangement should be made to fulfil theessential needs of the Tamil Nadu people".

Also Read: (Panneerselvam given Jayalalithaa's portfolios, DMK welcomes move)