Jaya gears up to take over as CM tomorrow

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Following a decisive mandate securing an absolute majority on its own by winning 150 seats in the 234-member Assembly, AIADMK general secretary J. Jayalalithaa will meet Governor Surjit Singh Barnala on Sunday and stake claim to form the government.

“I am meeting the Gove-rnor tomorrow (to stake claim for forming the next government),” she told reporters here just a day after her party staged a spectacular comeback. Ms Jayalalithaa, all set to become the chief minister for the third time, said the details about her swearing-in ceremony would be announced after meeting the Governor.

Before meeting Mr Barn-ala, she would chair the meeting of the newly-elected legislators at the party headquarters to be elected as the leader of the party in the new Assembly.

Speculation is rife that the 63-year-old leader would be sworn-in either at Raj Bhavan or Madras Univer-sity centenary auditorium.

But the AIADMK supremo told reporters here that the particulars of the swearing-in would be divulged on Sunday.

DMK chief M. Karunanidhi had on Friday tendered his resignation to Mr Barnala who asked him to continue in office till alternative arrangements were made.

“The people of the state have reposed enormous trust and faith on our front and my party will live up to their expectations fulfilling all our electoral promises,” Ms Jayalalithaa said on the massive mandate.

It was not just a negative vote against the DMK but a decisive vote against the DMK, said the AIADMK supremo.