Amma returns

AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa was sworn in as Tamil Nadu chief minister at the centenary auditorium of University of Madras at 11.05 am with industry captains and film stars including Rajinikanth in attendance. But, what indicated her political resurgence was the presence of Union minister Pon Radhakrishnan and senior BJP leaders L Ganesan and H Raja on the occasion. The function lasted barely 25 minutes during which governor K Rosaiah administered the oath to Jayalalithaa and 28 ministers.
Jayalalithaa, 67, became the 29th CM of Tamil Nadu and equalled DMK boss M Karunanidhi's record of five terms as CM -although she assumed office twice after being forced to resign from the post following court verdicts that disqualified her.
The ministers, for the first time in the history of Tamil Nadu, took the oath of office en masse, in two batches of 14 each.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted a congratulatory message to Jayalalithaa and conveyed his best wishes.After the brief ceremony , Jayalalithaa left for her Poes Garden residence without making the customary visit to the secretariat.
The auditorium was packed with more than 3,500 special invitees. Seated in the first row, among senior AIADMK leaders and special invitees, was Sasikalaa who, like Jayalalithaa, was clad in green sari.
Superstar Rajinikanth 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. The seven DMDK rebel MLAs sat along with AIADMK MLAs cheering Jayalalithaa.
Hundreds of partymen thronged the venue for a glimpse of Jayalalithaa, who is returning as CM after eight months. They waited outside her residence since early morning. When she came out at 10.30 am, women offered `aarti' and showered flower petals on her vehicle. Party functionaries bowed low in greeting and some prostrated on the road as her cavalcade passed.
Rajinikanth, who lives in the neighbourhood, had left for the venue ahead of Jayalalithaa. Thespian Sivaji Ganesan's sons Prabhu and Ramkumar were among the special invitees.
After the Karnataka high court acquitted the AIADMK chief in the disproportionate wealth case, party MLAs elected her as the leader of the legislature party on Friday .
Thereafter, stand-in chief minister O Panneerselvam submitted his resignation, paving the way for Jayalalithaa to take over the reins.