O Panneerselvam met the VIPs, including BJP chief Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.
Tamil Nadu Finance minister O Panneerselvam, who was handed all eight portfolios handled by Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa yesterday, spent the day at the hospital where she has been admitted for three weeks.
A trusted loyalist, Mr Panneerselvam, who will handle the home, police, IAS, IPS And IFS portfolios, did not chair any cabinet meet. Instead, he met VVIPs -- including BJP president Amit Shah and Finance Minister Arun Jaitley -- who came to Chennai's Apollo Hospital to inquire about the Chief Minister's health.
Twice in past, O Panneerselvam, had been a stand-in for Ms Jayalalithaa, when she stepped down following her conviction.
A statement from Raj Bhavan on Tuesday had said the Governor shifted the portfolios on the advice of the Chief Minister. The Opposition has questioned how the Chief Minister, who has been in hospital for the 21st day, made the request.
DMK chief Karunanidhi in a statement said, "Question arises if Jayalalithaa had issued a signed advice when no opportunity is given to leaders to meet Jayalalithaa in hospital".
Tacitly referring to people close to Ms Jayalalithaa, PMK chief Dr Ramadoss said, "The Governor should not let unrelated people control government machinery.
Jayalalithaa could not have gestured or signed while on respiratory support. Everything should work according to the Constitution."
The AIADMK indicates Jayalalithaa gave oral consent. Party spokesperson CR Saraswathi said, "She's not unconscious. Everybody can't go inside due to infection. Only doctors go and (the message) was conveyed to her. In AIADMK only with CM's knowledge only everything will happen".
The doctors say Ms Jayalalithaa is on respiratory support, on drugs to de-congest lungs and is being closely monitored by specialists from AIIMS and London. The medical bulletins, however, have been silent on whether she is conscious or not.