Prime Minister Narendra Modi pays floral tributes to Jayalalithaa

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.

(Follow The Tribune on Facebook; and Twitter @thetribunechd)

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