State sees 16 deaths since Saturday over Jaya’s sentence
It was a swearing-in ceremony that Tamil Nadu would like to forget.
At least 16 people are believed to have died in different parts of the State since Saturday unable to bear the four-year jail term awarded to party chief J Jayalalithaa in the DA case. While AIADMK supporters continued to mourn and commit suicide in protest against the sentence, a sobbing O Panneerselvam was administered oath of office and secrecy as the 28th Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu by Governor K Rosaiah on Monday in a subdued atmosphere. All 30 members of the Council of Ministers too took oath of office along with Panneerselvam.
Tuesday morning will see the new Chief Minister leaving for Bangalore to meet the imprisoned Jayalalithaa.
A pall of gloom fell on Raj Bhavan as Panneerselvam and others entered the Durbar Hall for the ceremony. Panneerselvam, who was the first to be sworn-in, broke down and sobbed like a child even as he read the oath of office administered by the Governor. All other Ministers including the glamorous Gokula Indira were seen sobbing uncontrollably and wiping tears as they took oath of office. In contrast to the conventional swearing-in ceremonies, no celebrities or VVIPs were present during the simple function.
There was no official information about the venue and timing of the swearing-in ceremony even on Monday morning. Raj Bhavan sources said they did not have any information about the timing of the function. However, the entire media was in attendance at the Raj Bhavan premises. Governor Rosaiah, the least controversial among all Governors, too, looked uncomfortable throughout the function.
Immediately after the swearing-in, to show his reverence for his leader, Panneerselvam drove down to the Poes Garden residence of Jayalalithaa, the AIADMK general secretary. After paying obeisance to a picture of Amma, Panneerselvam went to Fort Saint George, the Tamil Nadu secretariat.
Though he went to the Chief Minister’s Office at the secretariat, he did not enter the chamber. He sat in the room meant for the secretary of the Chief Minister for some time and went back to his previous office. One of the staff members in the Chief Minister’s Office said he prayed in front of the picture of Jayalalithaa and sat on the sofa meant for visitors. Jayalalithaa, who was the Chief Minister till last Saturday lost her position because of the conviction and sentence by the Special Court in Bangalore in the disproportionate asset case.
Meanwhile, at least 16 people are believed to have died in different parts of the State since Saturday unable to bear the four-year jail term awarded to Amma.
65-year old AIADMK worker S Venkatesan died in a hospital here after he set himself ablaze by pouring kerosene, three others hanged themselves while another jumped before a speeding bus elsewhere, police said on Monday.
Ten people are believed to have suffered cardiac arrest, apparently unable to come to terms with the verdict, while one person died of shock, they said. Those who allegedly committed suicide also included two Class 12 students who set themselves ablaze in Tiruppur.