Chennai: AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa will be sworn in as the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu today. This is the fourth time that she will become the Chief Minister.
The swearing in ceremony will be held at the Centenary Auditorium at the Madras University at 12 noon. Tamil Nadu Governor Dr K Rosaiah will administer the oath of office to the Chief Minister and 28 members of the cabinet.
AIADMK MLA and former MP Semmalai will be the pro term speaker for the 15th Assembly.
Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu will be attending the ceremony on behalf of the Prime Minister and the Central government.
Invitations have been sent to various dignitaries throughout the country. For the first time, the main opposition, DMK party's treasurer MK Stalin will also be attending the ceremony.
This victory is also historic because after a long wait of more than 3 decades, the party managed to win two elections consecutively. Last time it was in 1984 when Jayalalithaa’s mentor MG Ramachandran came to power for two consecutive terms.
Workers of the party have been streaming in to the city in large numbers to get a glimpse of their favorite leader today.
The AIADMK cruised to victory in 134 of the 232 assembly seats, leaving the DMK-Congress combine with 97 seats. Almost all other parties were wiped out.
Meanwhile, security has been tightened in and around the university and large LED TV screens and loud speakers have been placed for the public to witness the function.
The proposed ministers and their portfolios are:
Jayalalithaa, Chief Minister, (portfolios of public, IAS, IPS, Indian Forest Service, general administration, district revenue officers, police and home).
O. Panneerselvam, minister for finance; Dindugal C. Srinivasan, minister for forests; Edapaddi K. Palaniswami, minister for public works, highways and minor ports; Sellur K. Raju, minister for cooperation and labour; P. Thangamani, minister for electricity, prohibition and excise; S.P. Velumani, minister for municipal administration, rural development and implementation of special programmes; and D. Jayakumar, minister for fisheries.
Others are C.Ve. Shanmugam, minister for law, courts and prisons; K.P. Anbazhagan, minister for higher education; V. Saroja, minister for social welfare; K.C. Karuppannan, minister for environment; M.C. Sampath, minister for industries; R. Kamaraj, minister for food, civil supplies and Hindu religions and charitable endowments; and O.S. Manian, minister for handlooms and textiles;
The list includes Udumalai Radhakrishnan, minister for housing and urban development; C. Vijaya Baskar, minister for health and family welfare; S.P. Shanmuganathan, minister for milk and dairy development; R. Duraikannu, minister for agriculture and animal husbandry; K. Kadambur Raju, minister for information and publicity; R.B. Udhayakumar, minister for revenue; and K.T. Rajenthra Balaji, minister for rural industries.
Others on the list are K.C. Veeramani, minister for commercial taxes; P. Benjamin, minister for school education, sports and youth welfare; Vellamandi N. Natarajan, minister for tourism; S. Valarmathi, minister for backward classes and minorities welfare; V.M. Rajalakshmi, minister for adi dravider and tribal welfare; M. Manikandan, minister for information technology; and M.R. Vijayabaskar, minister for transport.
