A supporter of AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa outside her residence in Chennai on Friday
J Jayalalithaa's supporters are gathering by the thousands in Chennai as frenetic celebrations begin in anticipation of her return as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister tomorrow.
"Our mother is back," said an fan, who is waiting for a glimpse of Ms Jayalalithaa or Amma (mother) as she is known to millions of supporters.
A woman from Coimbatore said, "We all feel like today and tomorrow is a festival... Don't know what to say there is so much happiness."
At the AIADMK party office, drums are being beaten since the party's legislators completed the formality of electing Ms Jayalalithaa as their legislature party leader early this morning. People have also lined up at other places in the city that the leader will visit today in her first appearance in public since the Karnataka High Court acquitted her in a corruption case earlier this month.
That acquittal cleared the way for Ms Jayalalithaa to return as Chief Minister, eight months after she was forced to resign when a Bangalore court convicted her in the case. She is expected to take oath at 11 am tomorrow along with her ministers.
"Tomorrow she will become Chief Minister. There are so many projects pending in Tamil Nadu and from tomorrow onwards she will continue the good work," said a supporter.
Staunch loyalist O Paneerselvam, who has now served as a stand in chief minister twice in the last decade and a half, resigned this morning and proposed Ms Jayalalithaa's name. Last year, he had wept as he took oath. Today, Mr Panneerselvam and other AIADMK legislators were all smiles.
"This is the happiest day of our life," said a beaming cooperative Minister Sellur K Raju.