Chennai: J Jayalalithaa was not present at a meeting of the Tamil Nadu cabinet today, the first since the chief minister was hospitalised three weeks ago, but her photograph had pride of place.
O Panneerselvam, who is standing in for Ms Jayalalithaa and chaired today's meeting, sat with her photograph placed before him. Not surprisingly, Mr Panneerselvam did not take the chief minister's chair, which was vacant through the meeting.
The last time Mr Panneerselvam, 65, stood in for Ms Jayalalithaa, while she was in prison in a corruption case, he had demonstrated his loyalty by refusing to use Ms Jayalalithaa's office or the chief minister's seat in the state assembly for eight months.
The cabinet today reportedly discussed the Cauvery water row with neighbour Karnataka and also signed off on a number of projects, pledging to execute policies on schedule. It had last met in July this year to discuss the state budget.
For the last week, neither doctors nor Ms Jayalalithaa's party the AIADMK have shared updates on her health.
The AIADMK, however, has said that Ms Jayalalithaa is not critically unwell, and has been regularly briefed on government matters.
O Panneerselvam, who is standing in for Ms Jayalalithaa and chaired today's meeting, sat with her photograph placed before him. Not surprisingly, Mr Panneerselvam did not take the chief minister's chair, which was vacant through the meeting.
The last time Mr Panneerselvam, 65, stood in for Ms Jayalalithaa, while she was in prison in a corruption case, he had demonstrated his loyalty by refusing to use Ms Jayalalithaa's office or the chief minister's seat in the state assembly for eight months.
The cabinet today reportedly discussed the Cauvery water row with neighbour Karnataka and also signed off on a number of projects, pledging to execute policies on schedule. It had last met in July this year to discuss the state budget.
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For the last week, neither doctors nor Ms Jayalalithaa's party the AIADMK have shared updates on her health.
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The AIADMK, however, has said that Ms Jayalalithaa is not critically unwell, and has been regularly briefed on government matters.
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