Chennai: In his 100 days in office, Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam issued close to 70 statements, including instructions to the health department on avian influenza, dengue and monsoon infections. While many of his statements were issued against the previous DMK regime, he also spoke up on the Mullaiperiyar row, monsoon relief and the fishermen’s woes at the hands of Sri Lanka.

October may have been a dull period for Mr Panneerselvam, but he did he convene an urgent meeting on the Hudhud cyclone and dispatched electrical equipment to the neighboring cyclone-hit state of Andhra Pradesh. November saw the Chief Minister politically more brisk, responding to sharp statements of DMK president M. Karunanidhi.


In December, he justified the hike in milk prices drawing flak from the Opposition in the Assembly. He also reminded the Centre about his previous DO letters on closed naptha plants in Tamil Nadu, additional power from Kudankulam and the demands of TN fishermen. Though the Chief Minister conducted a review to discuss the revision of dearness allowances for state government employees aimed at benefiting 18 lakh staff, the same was not extended to the transport corporation employees, which ended in a strike.

Soon, a committee was formed for negotiation. Unlike his predecessors, Panneerselvam did not act quickly in appointing or filling existing vacancies. However, during his stint Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University got a new vice chancellor.