Jayalalithaa arrives at her swearing-in ceremony as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister. (AFP Photo)
, one of the country's most powerful politicians, returned on Saturday as chief minister of Tamil Nadu, less than a fortnight after the Karnataka High Court a court acquitted her of corruption.
The packed venue of Madras University erupted in cheers as Ms Jayalalithaa,
draped in an emerald green sari, took an oath in Tamil while her 28 cabinet ministers of the AIADMK stood behind her on the stage. Later, they all took oath at one go, as their party chief clapped.
Jayalalithaa Jayaram, a former film star, was forced to stand down as chief minister of prosperous Tamil Nadu after being found guilty last September of amassing illegal wealth while in office. The 67-year-old was sentenced to four years in jail and fined Rs. 100 crores in a case that ran for nearly two decades, but the higher court cleared her of corruption earlier this month.
In Chennai today,
thousands of ecstatic jubilant supporters celebrated the return of Amma or mother as she is know to them. They lined the roads leading to the oath venue, waving party flags, and the police struggled to control the crowds as her heavily-guarded motorcade zoomed past.
Hundreds of supporters, many in colourful dress, held up photos of Ms Jayalalithaa, handed out sweets and danced to the beat of drums chanting "Amma Amma" and "Amma is back".
Ms Jayalalithaa has earned the loyalty of many voters in Tamil Nadu with a series of populist schemes like an "Amma canteen" that provides lunch for just three rupees.
During last year's general election campaign, she garnered huge support by handing out freebies including electric blenders, goats and small amounts of gold.
Her AIADMK party is the third largest force in the Lok Sabha, the lower house of Parliament. The AIADMK has 11 lawmakers in the Rajya Sabha or upper house, where the Narendra Modi government is in a minority and depends on regional parties like Ms Jayalalithaa's to pass key legislation.
Pon Radhakrishnan of the BJP attended the oath ceremony today. In Delhi, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley congratulated her and said, "I want to congratulate the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu. We wish her all the best."