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Six months after the Supreme Court unseated her, J Jayalalithaa stormed back as chief minister of Tamil Nadu on Saturday at the head of a 27-member All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam government that included 13 new faces.
The AIADMK general secretary and her ministerial colleagues were administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor P S Ramamohan Rao at a glittering hour-long ceremony at the Madras University centenary hall. All of them took the oath in Tamil in the name of god.
Former chief minister O Panneerselvam, who will be No 2 in the new Cabinet, took the oath immediately after Jayalalithaa.
The swearing-in was attended by leaders of several political parties, film personalities and other VIPs, besides prominent members of the AIADMK. Tamil superstar Rajanikant sent his greetings.
DMK general secretary K Anbazhagan, Chennai Mayor M K Stalin and Bharatiya Janata Party state unit president Dr S P Kirupanidhi also attended the function.
While leaving the hall, Chief Minister Jayalalithaa told reporters that she had no words to express her feelings and gratitude to the people of Tamil Nadu. "I am greatly indebted to the people of Andipatti for providing me this opportunity to serve the state of Tamil Nadu once again," she said.
She also thanked the people who had stood by her through "thick and thin".
PTI
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