Ahmedabad:
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi was lavish in his praise for Jayalalithaa this morning as he arrived in Chennai. "Jayalalithaa's victory is not limited to Tamil Nadu. It will influence national politics in the fight against corruption. I've seen her dedication to Tamil Nadu. I am sure she will contribute to a great extent," he said.
Mr Modi, who is a close friend of Jayalalithaa's, attended her swearing-in ceremony today at the University of Madras. This is her third term as Chief Minister of her home state.
The chief of the AIADMK swept the Tamil Nadu elections, winning 203 of the 234 seats along with her allies. The alleged corruption and the 2G scam that is inextricably linked to M Karunanidhi's family cost him the election, say political analysts.
"I'm sure Tamil Nadu will develop in leaps and bounds," said Mr Modi after the swearing in, which he described on twitter was "as grand as the victory." He said that in the near future, "There will be only two camps in India. Those who are committed to development and those who are committed to vote banks. Jayalalithaa, in his opinion, falls into the former category.
Mr Modi also tweeted that he was visiting superstar Rajinikanth who is in hospital in Chennai.