Jaya, Vijayakanth sworn in

Chennai, May 18 (UNI) Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary J Jayalalithaa and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) President actor Vijayakanth were today sworn in as members of the state assembly.

Ms Jayalalithaa, elected from Andipatti and Mr Vijayakanth, the actor turned Politician from Virudhachalam, were administered oath by Pro tem speaker D Sudharsanam at his chamber at the secretariat here this morning.

Leader of the Opposing O Panneerselvam, former AIADMK Ministers K A Sengottaiyan, D Jayakumar and newly elected party MLAs welcomed Ms Jayalalithaa, when she arrived at the Secretariat even as hundreds of party workers, who had gathered at the secretariat complex raised slogans, hailing the AIADMK supremo.

After taking oath in the name of God, Ms Jayalalithaa presented a bouquet to Mr Sudharsanam and expressed her happiness over his choice as the Pro tem speaker. The senior Congress leader thanked her.

''I can't say anything here,'' Ms Jayalalithaa said and left when waiting newspersons tried to talk to her.

Minutes after she left, Mr Vijayakanth, accompanied by party Presidium Chairman and former Minsiter ''Panruti'' S Ramachandran and other party office bearers, came to the chamber and took the oath.

Mr Sudharsanam, after administering oath, explained the assembly procedures to the actor, who was making his debut. The actor was told that as leader of the party, he would be allotted a seat in the front row, opposite the treasury benches. Hundreds of partymen lustily cheered when Mr Vijayakanth arrived at the secretariat.

Earlier, three CPI members-V Sivapunniyam, K Ulaganathan and P Padmavathy, who also could not come to the House yesterday, were administered the oath by Mr Sudharsanam.

With this, all the 234 members elected to the House in the May eight assembly elections were sworn in as members.

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