Panneerselvam sworn in as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister

“Deeply saddened at the passing away of Selvi Jayalalithaa”.

Scores of Tamil cinema actors including Parthiban, Jeyam Ravi, Trisha Krishnan, Shruti Haasan and director Gautam Vasudev Menon condoled death of Jayalalithaa, who had her roots in the film industry as a famous yesteryear actor.

Ms Jayala-lithaa’s health took a turn for the worse when she suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening at the Apollo Hospitals, Chennai, where she had been undergoing treatment since September 22 for dehydration and fever. Jayalalithaa speaks sparingly of her childhood, but from what she has said, it was not an easy one.

The police had to however resort to a mild lathi charge as supporters tried to picket barricades outside Poes Garden.

Kejriwal will arrive in Chennai at around 12.30 p.m., and visit Rajaji Hall to pay homage to the deceased AIADKM leader.

The last rites will be held at the Marina Beach later on Tuesday.

Former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa will be accorded state funeral at 4.30 pm at Marina Beach. “She faced many political and personal challenges, but rose up to occasion with each one of them”, he said.

Jayalalithaa had swept into power for a second time in a row when her party, the All India Anna Dravida Munetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), won the Tamil Nadu Assembly elections in May this year. Yet, when she lay unconscious in hospital for more than two months, she seemed like an orphan with no one next to her to call her own.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi offered his condolences.

As a mark of respect to the departed AIADKM leader, the Kerala government declared a holiday on Tuesday to mourn the demise of Jayalalithaa.

“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”.

Later that year, she was forced to step down as chief minister in Tamil Nadu state when she was sentenced to four years in prison for amassing more than $10 million during her political career, a wealth the court said was disproportionate to her income.

In the 1980s, when she joined politics, anyone would have ruled out the prospect of a brahmin woman finding acceptance as the leader of a Dravidian party, leave alone becoming a goddess of the masses.

During her latest illness, Jayalalithaa’s picture was placed on an empty chair at state cabinet meetings. “She was charismatic and could attract and convince people”.

Ministers would prostrate themselves before her, while followers went to extraordinary lengths to show their devotion, marking her birthday by tattooing her face on their skin. He announced a day’s mourning in his state.