AIADMK general secretary Jayalalithaa was on Saturday, May 23 sworn in for the fifth time as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu amid celebrations by party cadres and supporters all over the state.
She returns to power nearly eight months after she was forced to quit over corruption charges.
Jayalalithaa took the oath in the name of God in Tamil in a simple function held at the University of Madras Centenary Auditorium in Chennai. Twenty-eight other ministers also took oath in a brief ceremony.
The 67-year-old AIADMK supremo was administered oath of office and secrecy by Governor K Rosaiah.
Earlier, she arrived at the venue in a green saree and was welcomed by Tamil Nadu Chief Secretary Gnanadesikan with a bouquet.
Later, she introduced O Pannerselvam, Natham R Viswanathan and all other ministers before they were sworn in.
The swearing-in ceremony was attended by BJP leaders including Union Minister Pon Radhakrishnan and national office bearer of the party H Raja.
Actors Rajinikanth, Sarathkumar and eminent music composer Ilayaraja were among the long list of dignitaries who attended the function.
Meanwhile, outside Jaya’s office.
Snapshot of a board outside Jayalalitha’s office: List of people exempted from prostrating in front of her!
Posted by The UnReal Times on Saturday, 23 May 2015
Jayalalithaa was disqualified following her conviction in the Rs 66.66 crore disproportionate assets case by a trial court in Bengaluru on September 27. The Karnataka High Court had subsequently acquitted her of the charges on May 11.
A statement from Raj Bhavan said,”The Governor of Tamil Nadu accepted the resignation of Panneerselvam and his Council of Ministers from the forenoon of May 22, 2015.”
Panneerselvam was sworn-in as Chief Minister on September 29 last year, two days after Jayalalithaa’s conviction.
He had returned to the post for a second time after he was chosen by Jayalalithaa as her successor almost under similar circumstances in 2001 in the wake of her conviction in the TANSI case.
Panneerselvam had resigned six months later in 2002, when she was acquitted by the apex court.
His resignation ended an eight-month tenure.