Confusion mars ceremony

By Radha Venkatesan

CHENNAI, MAY 14. In a hurriedly-held ceremony at the Raj Bhavan here, the AIADMK general secretary, Ms. Jayalalitha, was sworn in Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu today.

As the excited AIADMK men virtually besieged the Raj Bhavan with cries of ``Muthalvar Puratchi Thalaivi Vaazhga'', the Governor, Ms. Fathima Beevi, administered the oath of office and secrecy to Ms. Jayalalitha and her five ministerial colleagues.

It was less than a half-hour ceremony marked by confusion and cacophony. As the State Public department had no clue to the ceremony till 4 this afternoon, virtually no arrangements were made for the show held in a hall in the Raj Bhavan.

As the partymen choked the road leading up to the Raj Bhavan, Ms.Jayalalitha and her close associate, Ms.Sasikala, drove in around 6 p.m.

Clad in a bright green synthetic saree, Ms.Jayalalitha, a few minutes later, walked into the hall packed with prominent leaders including the former West Bengal Chief Minister, Mr. Siddartha Shankar Ray, the Tamil Maanila Congress president, Mr. G. K. Moopanar, the State CPI(M) secretary, Mr. N. Sankaraiah, the State CPI secretary, Mr. R. Nallakannu, the TNCC president, Mr. E. V. K. S. Elangovan, and the PMK leader, Dr. S. Ramadoss' son Mr.Anbumani, the Dravidar Kazhagam general secretary, Mr. K. Veeramani, the AIADMK MP, Mr. T. T. V. Dinakaran, and the former Chief Secretary, Mr. N. Haribhasker.

Even as the crowd of partymen jostled waiting noisy media personnel, the Governor appealed for silence. ``Please be quiet. Let the Chief Minister take the oath,'' she urged. The National Anthem was played and then Ms.Jayalalitha took the oath in the name of God in Tamil. Immediately, the Chief Secretary, Mr. A. P. Muthuswamy, and the Home Secretary, Ms. Shantha Sheela Nair, greeted her with bouquets.

Then, Mr. C. Ponnaiyan, a member of erstwhile MGR Ministry, who was returned from the Tiruchengode constituency in the just- concluded election, was administered the oath of office and secrecy.

The former Union Law Minister, Mr. M. Thambi Durai, Mr. D. Jayakumar also a member of the erstwhile Jayalalitha Cabinet, besides two new faces, Mr. Ayyaru Vandayar, MLA-elect from Thiruvaiyaru and Ms. R. Saroja, who won from the Uppiliyapuram reserved constituency, were also sworn in Ministers.

Immediately after being administered the oath of office, Mr.Jayakumar and Ms.Saroja touched Ms.Jayalalitha's feet and sought her blessings. And the other Ministers too paid obeisance to her, with folded hands and bowed heads.

Ms. Sasikala watched the proceedings seated in a corner of the hall. After the ceremony, Ms. Jayalalitha was expected to appear on the Raj Bhavan lawns with the Governor for a photo- session. While the media personnel and the Ministers, Mr. Ponnaiyan and Mr. Thambi Durai, besides party MLAs, waited for over 10 minutes near the lawn, she left the Raj Bhavan after exchanging pleasantries with the VIP guests.

As she drove out of the Raj Bhavan, there was a power failure and the lights went off. After a few minutes of confusion, power was restored and the jubilant crowd of partymen filed out, filling the air with cries of ``Nirandhara Muthalvar Vaazhga'' (Long Live Permanent Chief Minister).

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