Jaya set to re-enter Fort St George, will take oath today

CHENNAI: After winning the June 27 byelection to the RK Nagar constituency, chief minister J Jayalalithaa is set to take oath of office on Saturday morning to re-enter the legislative assembly. She assumed charge on May 23 after the Karnataka high court acquitted her in the disproportionate assets case.
On Friday evening, senior officials oversaw arrangements near Speaker P Dhanapal’s office, where the chief minister will alight before taking oath of office.“The event will take place in the forenoon before the CM proceeds to Kodanad. The oath-taking is likely at 11am,” said officials. The railings of the stairs were raised further to facilitate access for the 67-year-old leader.
Signing of a solar power deal with Adani group and visiting Raj Bhavan to greet Governor K Rosaiah on his birthday are other events lined up for the day. Jayalalithaa failed to turn up at the party’s Iftar celebrations at Nandambakkam Trade Centre on Wednesday, citing sudden illness.
The chief minister missed a few scheduled events earlier this week. Metro rail, which was originally scheduled to be launched on Sunday, was put off to Monday, despite election commission giving clearance for the launch after the byelection in the north Chennai constituency. Later the inauguration was carried out through video-conferencing. On Tuesday, Jayalalithaa was to be present for the singing of a deal with the Adani group. But she could not make it.