Chennai: Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam president M. Karunanidhi on Wednesday said it is a wonder that Tamil Nadu Governor C. Vidyasagar Rao allocated portfolios handled by Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa to Finance Minister O. Panneerselvam based on her advice.

In a statement issued here, Karunanidhi said Jayalalithaa has been in the hospital for the past 19 days and advised longer stay there.

He said that several leaders, including the Tamil Nadu Governor, Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi, union minister M. Venkaiah Naidu and others, were not allowed to see or wish Jayalalithaa in person when they visited the Apollo Hospitals here where she is admitted.

Given this situation, the statement from Raj Bhavan on Wednesday that reallocation of the portfolios was done based on the advice of Jayalalithaa “is a wonder”.

Karunanidhi also said one cannot entirely overlook the doubt as to whether the acting Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao had analysed the various provisions of the Constitution in a short span of time.

According to the Raj Bhavan statement issued on Tuesday, Governor Vidyasagar Rao has, under Clause (3) of the Constitution’s Article 166, allocated the subjects hitherto dealt with by Jayalalithaa to Panneerselvam on her advice.

Jayalalithaa held the portfolios of Public, Indian Administrative Service, Indian Police Service, Indian Forest Service, General Administration, District Revenue Officers, and Home.

Panneerselvam will also chair the cabinet meetings.

“This arrangement has been made as per the advice of Hon’ble Chief Minister and will continue until the Hon’ble Chief Minister Selvi J. Jayalalithaa resumes her duties. Selvi J. Jayalalithaa will continue to be the Chief Minister,” the Raj Bhavan statement said.

On Tuesday, Congress’ state unit president S. Thirunavukkarasar, reacting to reallocation of the portfolios, told IANS that it “is a welcome development for the continued functioning of the government”.

He said the situation is similar to the one that existed when AIADMK founder, the late M.G. Ramachandran (MGR), was admitted to the same Apollo Hospitals in October 1984.

Senior AIADMK leader C. Ponnaiyan told IANS that the portfolios handled by MGR were then allocated to Nedunchezhiyan.

According to Ponnaiyan, MGR in 1984 had orally instructed that his portfolios are to be handled by Nedunchezhiyan.

“As per the rules, the Chief Minister can orally tell any one or more cabinet colleagues to handle the portfolios. This is the practice followed across the country,” he said.

According to him, there is no provision in the Constitution for an acting chief minister.