In a gesture of political bonhomie, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister MK Stalin has extended his friendly hand to his predecessor Edappadi Palaniswami allowing him to continue his stay at the government's residence in Greenways Road in Chennai without paying rent. The Stalin administration has permitted the former Chief Minister to be a tenant of the government's residence after his request to continue his stay. 

Greenways Road houses the residences for the cabinet ministers of the state government and these residences are controlled by the public works department. Whenever there is a power transition in the state, there shall be a compulsion from the ruling government to the ministers of the former government to vacate the residences at Greenways Road to make way for their successors. 

It was a tradition for the ministers to vacate the government residences after losing the elections. However, Edappadi Palaniswami, the former Chief Minister who lost the election, didn't vacate the Greenways Road residence which he used while he was serving as the Chief Minister. According to reports, Palaniswami has been staying in the government bungalow, Sevvanthi, ever since he became a member of former Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's cabinet in 2011. 

He continued his stay during his Chief Ministerialship and now, after losing the elections, he had requested the current state government led by MK Stalin seeking approval for continued stay in the bungalow as he has now been serving as the Opposition Leader in the assembly, which is equivalent to that of a cabinet minister. After his request, Stalin's government has now permitted Edappadi Palaniswami to continue his stay at the bungalow without paying rent. 

According to reports, the state public works department has issued an allotment order to the former Chief Minister, and the allotment was made without fixation on rent. It has also been reported that Edappadi Palaniswami cannot avail of the house rent allowance as a member of the legislative assembly. The public works department has directed the buildings wing and the Chennai regional office to permit the Opposition Leader to reside in the same bungalow. 

The reports say that more than 20 ADMK Ministers had vacated their respective bungalows while the rest of the ministers are hunting alternative residences in the city to reside. Former Deputy Chief Minister Panneerselvam has also been looking for rental options in the city and recently, he has booked an apartment in Raja Annamalaipuram in the city and he would be moving to his new residence soon. 

According to the government's norms, former ministers would enjoy a grace period of two months since demitting the office to vacate the bungalow. As per the norm, the public works department has refrained from issuing the notice to the ADMK ministers to vacate the bungalows. After the end of the grace period, the government may compel the former ministers to vacate the residences. The reports in the know have said that the current government led by MK Stalin has directed the public works department not to disturb the former ADMK Ministers until they vacate the bungalows.  

While Edappadi Palaniswami has got a green light from his successor MK Stalin to continue his stay at his bungalow in the Greenways Road, at least three former ministers had made similar requests to the government to allow them to stay in the bungalow until they find an alternative. The reports say that the government has granted permission for these three ministers to continue their stay but one of them has now vacated.