Chennai - India's 'Iron Lady' died on Monday after suffering a cardiac arrest.
Published: Tue 6 Dec 2016, 6:24 AM
Last updated: Wed 7 Dec 2016, 9:47 AM
A steady stream of people are paying their last respects to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK General Secretary J. Jayalalithaa who died here on Monday.
The 68-year-old Jayalalithaa, who was in Apollo Hospitals since September 22, suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday and died on Monday at 11.30 p.m.
Jayalalithaa's body was shifted to her residence at Poes Garden on Tuesday.
After performance of the last ceremonial rites as per tradition her body was shifted to Rajaji Hall for people to pay their last respects to the departed leader.
Also read: Remembering Jayalalithaa - From film star to Tamil Nadu CM
Draped in tricolour Jayalalithaa's body is at Rajaji Hall here.
The last rites will be held at the Marina Beach later on Tuesday.
As national leaders expressed grief, the Tamil Nadu government declared a seven-day mourning. Schools and colleges in the sprawling state will be closed for three days.
In no time, the AIADMK legislators elected Finance Minister and long-time Jayalalithaa loyalist O. Panneerselvam to succeed the departed leader. Shortly after 1 a.m. on Tuesday, Panneerselvam took the oath of office and secrecy.
Thirty-one ministers were also sworn-in with him. A veteran actor, the self-made Jayalalithaa, who was five times Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, was admitted to the Apollo hospital on September 22 with fever and dehydration, just four months after she led the AIADMK to triumphantly retain power in assembly elections.
At one time it seemed she was on the road to recovery but that proved to be an illusion.
President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi led the nation in paying homage to Jayalalithaa, who was elected to the Rajya Sabha at the start of her political career.
In his lengthy message, Mukherjee described Jayalalithaa as "one of India's most charismatic and popular leaders ... a visionary and (an) able administrator... "She was progressive in her thought and pro-active in pursuing the issues that were close to her heart, such as the empowerment of women and welfare of children.
"Her life was dedicated to the socio-economic transformation of Tamil Nadu and its people. Her contribution to the progress and development of Tamil Nadu will be long remembered."
Modi, who enjoyed a personal rapport with Jayalalithaa, said her demise had left a huge void in Indian politics. Defining her as a mass leader, Modi said: "Jayalalithaaji's connect with citizens, concern for welfare of the poor, the women and marginalised will always be a source of inspiration."
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who too had counted the AIADMK leader as an ally for years, said Jayalalithaa lived the entire life with the same "indomitable courage with which she battled her last illness". West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called her "popular, strong, bold, efficient, people-friendly, charismatic leader".
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar described her death as "very saddening". He announced a day's mourning in his state.
Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "Very sad to hear the demise of Amma. A very very popular leader. Aam Aadmi's leader. May her soul rest in peace."
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