States »SoutPosted at: May 5 2021 2:32PM

TN Guv invites CM-designate Stalin to form govt, swearing in on May 7

Chennai, May 5 (UNI) DMK President and Chief Minister-designate

M K Stalin will be sworn in as Tamil Chief Minister for the first time

at a simple function to be held at Raj Bhavan on May seven.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit will administer the oath of office and

secrecy to Mr Stalin and his Council of Ministers at 0900 hrs on

Friday, it was officially announced by Chief Secretary Rajeev Ranjan

here today.

Earlier, Mr Stalin met the Governor and staked his claim to form the

next government.

Mr Stalin, accompanied by senior DMK leaders, including General

Secretary Duraimurugan, Treasurer leader T R Baalu and Principal

Secretary K N Nehru, Organising Secretary and Rajya Sabha member

R S Bharathi, met the Governor at Raj Bhavan and handed over the

Legislature party resolution electing him as the Leader.

He also submitted a letter containing the support of 133 MLAs,

including those of allies, who had contested the April six Assembly

polls, on the DMK's 'Rising Sun' symbol.

He also submitted the list of his Council of Ministers to the Governor.

A few hours later, Mr Purohit invited Mr Stalin to form the next

government on May seven.

The swearing-in ceremony will be a low key affair in view of the

second wave of the COVID pandemic.

Mr Stalin, who led the DMK return to power for a sixth time after a

gap of ten years, was unanimously elected as the Legislature Party

Leader last evening at a meeting of the newly-elected MLAs held

at party headquarters Anna Arivalayam.

(ED : PICK UP SUITABLY FROM MS 6).

UNI GV 1418