M A I N   N E W S

Jaya & her jumbo Cabinet take oath
N Ravikumar/TNS

Chennai, May 16
AIADMK chief Jayalalithaa was today sworn in as the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister for a third time along with 33 ministers at a glittering function at the Madras University centenary auditorium here.

Amid speculation that the Congress which was decimated in Tamil Nadu Assembly elections is warming up towards the victorious AIADMK, the national party was kept at a distance during the swearing-in ceremony which was attended by the alliance leaders as well as the opposition BJP.

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and state BJP president Pon Radhakrishnan were among those who attended the function, along with Left leaders AB Bardhan and D Raja. Former Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Chandrababu Naidu and AIADMK's key ally and actor Vijaykanth were also invited.

Significantly, no leader from the state Congress, including EVKS Elangovan, a staunch supporter of the AIADMK alliance, was invited.

This is the largest-ever ministry in the state since Independence. Jayalalithaa will be retaining the portfolios of home, public health, Indian Police Service, Indian Forest Service, general administration, district revenue officers and prevention of corruption.

Slogans hailing Jayalalithaa ‘Puratchi Thalaivi’ (Revolutionary Leader) and ‘Amma’ rent the air as she took the oath with party workers thronging the venue in huge numbers. Thousands of eager AIADMK supporters descended on the venue, making it diffult for the police regulate traffic on the arterial Kamarajar Road as Jayalalithaa herself was caught in the erratic vehicle flow for a few minutes before arriving.

Chennai gets new police chief

In the first top-level administrative reshuffle, Jayalalithaa today appointed JK Tripathy as Chennai city Police Commissioner, shunting out incumbent T Rajendran The appointment of Tripathy, who was Additional Director General of Police, Prisons, came within hours of Jayalalithaa taking charge as CM.