Chennai: AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa was on Saturday sworn in as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu for the fifth time. In a well attended ceremony at the Centenary Auditorium of the University of Madras, she and her cabinet colleagues took oath in the presence of Tamil Nadu Governor K Rosaiah.
Amid speculation over top Bharatiya Janata Party leaders attending the event, Union Minister of State for Shipping Pon. Radhakrishnan was seen sitting in the front row. Actor Rajinikanth was also spotted among a host of celebrities seen at the venue.
Jayalalithaa now matches the record with DMK leader M Karunanidhi of being CM five times, though the AIADMK leader did it twice after she was forced to resign from the post following court verdicts that disqualified her. The Madras university auditorium was swelling with over 3,500 special invitees. Seated on the first row, among senior AIADMK leaders and special invitees was Sasikalaa who, like Jayalalithaa, was clad in a green saree. Superstar Rajnikanth sat next to actor and All India Samathuva Makkal Katchi leader Sarath Kumar. Representing the industry were India Cements managing director N Srinivasan and A C Muthaiah of SPIC.
Hundreds of party men from far off places thronged the venue since morning to get a glimpse of the leader, who is returning to the state government after eight months. Hundreds waited outside Jaya's Poes Garden residence since early morning. When she came out, women offered 'aarti' and showered flower petals on her vehicle. Party functionaries bowed, some prostrated on the road as her cavalcade passed.
The acquittal of AIADMK chief by Karnataka High Court in the disproportionate wealth case on May 11, had AIADMK MLAs electing Jayalalithaa as the leader of the legislature party on Friday.
