Jayalalithaa's followers shower petals on her way to public address

CHENNAI: Reminiscent of the scene post her acquittal in a wealth case in May and during oath-taking as Chief Minister, AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa was cheered all the way from her Poes Garden residence to RK Nagar, where she made her first public speech after her exoneration.

This was Jayalalithaa's first public speech after being cleared by the Karnataka High Court in the Rs 66.66 crore disproportionate assets case where she addressed voters of bypoll-bound Radhakrishnan Nagar from where she is contesting.

Amidst showering of petals on her vehicle and vociferous cheering and dancing by her supporters, the cavalcade found its way to the venue where her cabinet colleagues and senior leaders had also gathered.

Jayalalithaa, accompanied by confidante Sasikala, chose to address the crowd through a microphone fitted in her van as jubilant party supporters waited eagerly to hear her speech.

Security personnel maintained strict vigil on the occasion.

The otherwise sleepy constituency was all spruced up for Jayalalithaa's visit, with festoons, electrified cut-outs of herself and party founder MG Ramachandran dotting the landscape.

Traditional honours and 'aarthi' by supporters displaying their loyalty to their leader were also witnessed on the occasion.