Jayalalithaa’s neighbour Rajinikanth, one of the biggest superstars of southern cinema, left home before her to attend the ceremony at Madras University’s Centenary auditorium.
The event started at 11 am and was over in less than half an hour.
The heavily abridged swearing-in saw 28 ministers taking oath together in batches as Jayalalithaa, in a green sari, sat on the stage.
All ministers, dressed in white shirts and veshthi, read out their oaths in chorus. Among them was O Panneerselvam, who took over as chief minister when Ms Jayalalithaa was forced to quit last year over corruption charges, but was careful not to get comfortable in the top post.
Yesterday, reporters were told that she would leave home for her first public appearance in eight months, at 1.28 pm.
Sources close to her say the 67-year-old politician, a former film star, always chooses the most auspicious time to step out of her house.
She also chose Saturday for her oath ceremony – this was her fifth – as the day is believed to be good for stability.
Jayalalithaa has returned as chief minister after a court in Karnataka acquitted her of charges of amassing illegal wealth disproportionate to her source of income.
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