Chennai, December 6
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday paid floral tributes to J Jayalalithaa who passed away on Monday night.
Flanked by Governor Vidyasagar Rao, Union Ministers Venkaiah Naidu and Pon Radhakrishnan and others, Modi placed a wreath on the body which was lying in state at Rajaji Hall.
Clad in white, an emotional Modi, who enjoyed a good personal equation with the late AIADMK leader, consoled Chief Minister O Panneerselvam who broke down.
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Modi also spoke to Jayalalithaa’s close confidante Sasikala.
Earlier, the Prime Minister, who arrived here by a special flight, was received at the airport by Governor Vidyasagar Rao. He subsequently boarded a helicopter to INS Adayar en route to Rajaji Hall.
In a series of tweets on Monday night, the Prime Minister had said that he was “deeply saddened at the passing away of Selvi Jayalalithaa. Her demise has left a huge void in Indian politics.”
Jayalalithaa, a popular leader who like her mentor and late former chief minister MG Ramachandran unveiled a slew of populist programmes, died on Monday night at a private hospital here after battling for life for 75 days.
The 68-year-old leader had suffered a massive cardiac arrest on Sunday evening. PTI