J Jayalalithaa was today sworn in as Tamil Nadu's Chief Minister for the fifth time
J Jayalalithaa stepped out of her Poes Garden residence in Chennai at 10.37 am today for her swearing in as Chief Minister.
She arrived at Madras University's Centenary auditorium exactly at 11 am, and the event was over in less than half an hour.
She wore a green sari and was seen writing with a green pen just after taking oath. A green ring twinkled on her finger.
Yesterday, reporters were told that Ms Jayalalithaa would leave home for her first public appearance in eight months, at 1.28 pm.
Sources close to her say the 67-year-old politician, a former film star, believes in choosing an auspicious hour for major events and heavily relies on her astrologers' advice. She is also partial to the colours green and maroon; today, it was green all the way.
She also chose Saturday for her oath ceremony - this was her fifth - as the day is believed to be good for stability.
Jayalalithaa has returned as chief minister days after a court in Karnataka acquitted her of charges of amassing illegal wealth disproportionate to her source of income. She was forced to quit when a trial court convicted her in September last year.
The heavily abridged swearing-in ceremony today saw 28 ministers taking oath together, within 22 minutes, as Jayalalithaa sat on the stage.
Dressed in white shirts and veshthi, the ministers read out their oaths in chorus. Among them was O Panneerselvam, who took over as chief minister when Ms Jayalalithaa was forced to quit last year over corruption charges, but was careful not to get too comfortable in the top post.