Chennai: Amidst huge pomp and show, one of India's most powerful politicians, J Jayalalithaa, took oath as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu on Saturday. She was administered the oath of office by Governor K Rosaiah at the Madras University Centenary Auditorium in Chennai.
Jayalalithaa took the oath in the name of God in Tamil along with twenty-eight other ministers in a brief ceremony. She arrived at the venue in a green saree and was welcomed by Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Gnanadesikan with a bouquet.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended the BJP leaders Pon Radhakrishnan and national office bearer of the party H Raja. Former BCCI Chiefs N Srinivasan and AC Muthiah along with actor Rajinikanth, Sarathkumar and eminent music
composer Ilayaraja also attended the ceremony.
Jayalalithaa was forced to resign as chief minister in 2014 after being convicted of holding unaccounted cash and property. She is back at the top post following a nine-month hiatus after the Karnataka High Court dismissed all cases against her and acquitted her in the multi-million disproportionate assets case.
After she had stepped down, senior ministers had wept at the swearing-in ceremony of her replacement, loyalist O Panneerselvam. Some supporters also reportedly set themselves on fire to protest against her conviction.
In a unanimous decision, 67-year-old Jayalalithaa was elected as legislature party leader at a meeting of party MLAs on Friday. The decision came 11 days after she was acquitted by the Karnataka High Court in the disproportionate assets case.
Her close confidant Panneerselvam had stepped down from the post of the CM on Friday to pave way for her to take over the reigns.
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