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The very first thing that J Jayalalithaa did on Sunday, her first day in office after she took oath as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, was to open as many as 201 'amma' canteens for the poor, via a video conference order. Next, she announced 16 medical shops for the not-so-well-off sections of society.
The Chief Minister also signed five files pertaining to projects worth Rs 7,300 crore. These included road improvement in rural areas and housing for the poor, among others.
On Saturday morning, at Madras University's Centenary Auditorium, which is considered to be a lucky venue for Jayalalithaa, she took oath along with 28 cabinet ministers, including O Panneerselvam.
Green, considered Jayalalithaa’s lucky colour, was on show everywhere at the venue, from the backdrop of the stage to the emerald ring that the AIADMK supremo was sporting as well as the pen she used to sign the oath documents. Jayalalithaa, along with her close aide Sasikala, were both clad in green saris.
Political observers say that governance in the state would now be restored and one will see an “active” government that was missing for the past seven months. Some of the major welfare schemes under the “Amma” brand are expected to go on full stream now. Her party cadres refer to her as Amma (mother), and the AIADMK government has started several welfare programmes under that name.
The ceremony also brought together India Cements Vice Chairman N Srinivasan and SPIC Chairman Emeritus A C Muthiah, MRF Chairman K M Mammen, Apollo Hospitals Executive Vice Chairperson Preetha Reddy and T Kannan of the Thyagaraja Group.
From political circles, BJP was represented by Pon Radhakrishnan, Minister of State for Road Transport and Highways, Shipping and La Ganesan, a senior leader of BJP. The face which was missing at the venue was Cho Ramasamy, editor of political satire magazine Thuglak, who was widely considered as one of the key advisors for Jayalalithaa.
Jayalalithaa is likely to contest from the Radhakrishnan Nagar assembly constituency and get re-elected to the assembly.
She was forced to step down as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu seven months ago, AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa returned to the helm of the state government on Saturday. She had been convicted by a special court in a disproportionate assets case on September 27 last year, after which she had relinquished the high office. Her return to the post for the fifth time was made possible by the Karnataka High Court overturning the earlier court's verdict last week.
O Panneerselvam, who had replaced Jayalalithaa as the head of the state government last year, resigned as chief minister on Friday, Governor K Rosaiah then invited Jayalalithaa to form a new government. Having resigned from the Assembly in the wake of the special court verdict, she will have to get herself re-elected to the House. She is likely to contest from the Radhakrishnan Nagar assembly constituency.
