The series of floats which had J Jayalalithaa's photos all over.
Photos of J Jayalalithaa, who had to quit as Chief Minister in disgrace over a corruption scandal, were the most prominent part of a series of floats that were paraded in Chennai by the government for Republic Day. The opposition DMK said today that the government must apologize "for this insulting portrayal of the state.
The floats were used in Tamil Nadu as a part of the Republic Day celebrations in Chennai which had photos of the former chief minister all over.
Ms Jayalalithaa's party, the ruling AIADMK, said there was no cause for offense. It pointed out that Ms Jayalalithaa's replacement, O Panneerselvam, does not even use her office in a show of loyalty to the 66-year-old who was imprisoned at the end of September after being convicted for corruption. Ms Jayalalithaa has appealed against the verdict and has been granted bail by the Supreme Court, but her conviction meant that she had to quit as head of the government and as an elected representative. She chose Mr Panneerselvam as her successor; when he took oath, he cried, along with other ministers who said they were grieving for their jailed leader.
MK Stalin of the rival DMK party described Ms Jayalalithaa's starring role in today's Republic Day celebrations as "a sickening show of sycophancy." Traditionally, floats carry images of the Chief Minister.