As it happened: Jayalalithaa makes public appearance, meets Governor

Jayalalithaa appears in public after 217 days; heads to Raj Bhavan to meet Governor; later she will garland MGR, Anna and Periyar statues in Anna Salai.

May 22, 2015 04:22 am | Updated November 28, 2021 09:54 pm IST - Chennai

AIADMK party supremo Jayalalithaa, fresh from her >acquittal in the disproportionate assets case, made her first public appearance in several months in Chennai today.

Here are the live updates:

3.05 p.m .: Jayalalithaa also gave a list of Ministers to be sworn-in with her along with their portfolios. Former Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam to be her Finance Minister yet again.

2.49 p.m.: Raj Bhavan press release issued here states, "His Excellency the Governor of Tamil Nadu has today (22.05.2015) approved the recommendation made by Selvi J Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister-Designate regarding allocation of portfolios among the Council of Ministers as given below. The swearing-in ceremony will be held on 23.05.2015 at 11.00 a.m. at Madras Centenary Auditorium," reports Meera Srinivasan.

2.20 p.m.: Traffic chaos on Kamaraj Salai Beach Road. Adjoining roads traffic comes to a grinding halt.

2.10 p.m.: Jayalalithaa presents party MLAs resolution electing her leader of the legislature party to Governor Rosaiah.

2.05 p.m.: Jayalalithaa meets Governor Rosaiah and his wife at Raj Bhavan.

1.45 p.m.: Personal security officers run along VIP convoy all along the Poes Garden-Raj Bhavan stretch.

Celebrations on at Chepauk, supporters gather expecting Jayalalithaa's convoy to pass the road, reports Petlee Peter

1.40 p.m.: Ms. Jayalalithaa's convoy making its way to Raj Bhavan.

1.33 p.m.:

1.30 p.m.: Ms. Jayalalithaa leaves her Poes Garden residence. This is first public appearance since September 2014.

1.15 p.m.: Party cadre are being asked to take their positions along the road. Policemen get ready 15 mins ahead of Ms. Jayalalithaa's scheduled departure from Poes Garden.

1 p.m.: Tamil Selvi (at left) and Muniyamma (on right) are both from Chepauk. They've been here from 7 a.m. Tamil Selvi claims that she managed to get a glimpse of her leader in the morning with her 'Kalasam'.

1 p.m.: As part of the preparations for Ms. Jayalalithaa's swearing-in, metal detectors have been set up on Mount Road near Khadi Bhavan.

12:50 p.m.: A carnival atmosphere prevails on Mount Road, as Ms. Jayalalithaa is expected to take this route when she proceeds to pay floral tributes across the city.

12:40 p.m.: The cadres of AIADMK have momentarily taken over the road that leads J Jayalalithaa's residence in Poes Garden. The hired drummers have settled on a rhythm and many of them have been dancing in the punishing heat since morning.

12:30 p.m: Ms. Jayalalithaa expected to leave her Poes Garden home at "1.28" say supporters.

11:45 am: Media, visitors are being stopped at the entrance of Poes Garden lane leading to Ms. Jayalalithaa's home.

11:30 am: And here's what the posters say...

11 a.m.: Roads were spruced up overnight by the Chennai Corporation, in preparation for Ms. Jayalalithaa's convoy.

10: 30 a.m.: Traffic congestion reported from Gemini flyover throughout Mount Road. Flex boards welcoming 'Amma' seen lining the arterial road.

9:15 a.m.: Accepting the resignation of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam and his Council of Ministers, Tamil Nadu Governor K. Rosaiah invited AIADMK general secretary J.Jayalaltihaa to form the Ministry at the earliest, a Raj Bhavan statement said.

In two different statements, Raj Bhavan said Mr. Rosaiah accepted the resignation of Mr. Panneerselvam and his Council of Ministers. “The Governor has requested the Chief Minister and his present council of ministers to function until alternative arrangements are made,” the statement said.

Mr. Rosaiah has also invited AIADMK general secretary and the leader of legislature party Ms. Jayalalithaa to form the Ministry at the earliest.

Mr. Rosaiah also requested Ms. Jayalalithaa to send the list of people to be appointed as Ministers with their portfolios.

9 a.m.: Things were not quite the same in the city on Thursday. It scarcely was expected to be a usual, run-of-the-mill day, given that things were building up to a crescendo, with Tamil Nadu heading for a change in leadership. All the banners, hoardings and placards were placed in violation of various laws of the land; several of them hindered the movement of pedestrians, damaging private property and even affecting regular life. >Read more.

8: 50 a.m.: Tamil Nadu Governor K. Rosiah accepts O. Panneerselvam's resignation, invites Jayalalithaa to form government.

8:20 a.m.: Traffic in Chennai is normal as of now.

8:12 a.m.: @sruthisagar Panneerselvam leaves Raj Bhavan after submitting his resignation as Chief Minister.

8:06 a.m.: @sruthisagar Panneerselvam submits resignation to Tamil Nadu Governor.

8:06 a.m.: @sruthisagar Panneerselvam likely to head to Raj Bhavan in some time to submit resignation to the Governor.

7:37 a.m.: Panneerselvam and senior Ministers head to Jayalalithaa’s Poes Garden residence to convey the party‘s decision.

7: 30 a.m.: From the AIADMK legislature party meeting:

7:19 a.m.:Jayalalithaa elected AIADMK Legislature Party leader

7:16 a.m. : Legislature Party meeting concludes within minutes, Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam leaves AIADMK headquarters after the meeting; No official word yet.

7: 07 am.: Our correspondent Meera Srinivasan tweets: Crowd outside AIADMK headquarters ahead of the legislature party meeting

7:03 a.m. : AIADMK Legislature Party meeting begins

7:00 a.m: AIADMK cadres throng the party headquarters at Avvai Shanmugam Salai in Chennai as early as 6 a.m. for the all important Legislature Party meeting; Jayalalithaa is expected to be elected leader of the Legislature Party. Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam is expected to resign today. This would be the second time in his political a career he is relinquishing the post for the return of Ms. Jayalalithaa to the helm, our correspondent Sruthisagar Yamunan (@sruthisagar) reports.

6:56 a.m.: DMDK dissident MLAs too arrive for the AIADMK legislature party meeting at its Royapettah headquarters, reports Thanthi TV

6:45 a.m.: AIADMK MLAs trickle in for the party's legislature party meeting at its headquarters; Chief Minister O. Panneerselvam arrives.

5:30 am:The Hindu 's legal expert K.Venkataramanan >answered questions about events that followed the verdict.

5:15 am: When she was acquitted earlier in May, her supporters erupted in celebrations. >Here are some of their reactions. >More...

5:00 am: The case took several twists and turns, not least of which was the role of the Special Public Prosecutor. >Read more...

4:45 am: The Jayalalithaa conviction, as it happened. >Read more...

4:30 am:>Here is a timeline of events that led up to the sentencing an subsequent acquittal.

4:15 am: The case came as a rude shock to the ruling AIADMK, >casting a doubt over the 67-year-old leader’s political future ahead of the 2016 Assembly polls.

4:00 am: In September 2014, Ms Jayalalithaa was sentenced to four years in prison and a Rs.100-crore fine was imposed. >Read full report.

The clinching argument

The value of disproportionate assets was Rs. 2.82 crore and this value was not enough to convict them on charges of corruption, said Justice C.R. Kumaraswamy in his verdict while disagreeing with the verdict of the Special Court, which had computed the value of DA at Rs. 53.6 crore.

AIADMK chief keeps her plans under wraps

In a statement, Ms. Jayalalithaa said the verdict gave her immense satisfaction and proved that she was innocent. She warned her political opponents to end their conspiracies against her and thanked the partymen and people who prayed for her. But she did not reveal any of her plans. > Read more

What the SPP said

“Counsel for the accused were allowed to make oral arguments for nearly two months, but no prosecutor authorised by Karnataka was present during such arguments,” B.V. Acharya said. > Read more

Comment

>Trial, errors and judgment - Sanjay Hegde After a long and convoluted progress through the courts, Ms. Jayalalithaa has finally been acquitted by the High Court. But this might not be the end of the morality play, with another appeal looking likely.

>Amma’s apogee moment - A.R. Venkatachalapathy History, the Marxist cliché goes, repeats itself twice — usually as a tragedy and then as a farce. But sometimes it repeats itself as a bigger tragedy. As the implications of the Karnataka High Court’s blanket acquittal of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa are thrashed threadbare, some crucial cultural questions remain to be explored.

>Where loyalty trumps all - Meera Srinivasan Loyalty, in a sense, has been the hallmark of Tamil Nadu politics. A person’s political commitment is primarily judged, in political circles, by her steely resolve to stick to a leader no matter what he or she is accused of. So what if critics label their leaders corrupt, authoritarian or power-hungry? “None like our leader,” they will vouch, with unmistakable earnestness.

How DA came to account for less than 10% of income

  • Vigilance probe’s findings: Construction costs: Rs.27,79,88, 945 Marriage expenses: Rs.6,25,04,222
  • High Court’s findings: Construction costs: Rs.5,10,54,060 Marriage expenses: Rs.28,68,000
  • Exaggerated value: Construction costs: Rs.2,69,34,885 Marriage expenses: Rs.6,16,36,222
  • Total assets: Vigilance estimate - Exaggerated value Rs. 37,59,02,466
  • Disproportionate assets: Total assets - Total income
  • Rs.37,59,02,466-Rs.34,76,65,654 = Rs.2,82,36,812
  • Rs.2,82,36,812 x 100/Rs.34,76,65,654=

The Hindu Editorial

  • > A sensational comeback It is an unusual feat for any politician in the country to regain her eligibility to hold the post after being unseated twice as Chief Minister.

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