Kerala joined the people of Tamil Nadu in their grief at the death of former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa with the government declaring a public holiday on Tuesday and a three-day mourning across the State.
Governor P. Sathasivam, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Leader of the Opposition Ramesh Chennithala and former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy paid homages to the late leader as her body was kept for public viewing at the Rajaji Hall in Chennai.
With the government declaring a holiday, examinations and tests scheduled for Wednesday were postponed. The State School Athletic Meet was brought to a close at Tenhipalam in Malappuram without the usual celebrations as a mark of respect to the late leader.
The weekly State Cabinet meeting dispersed without transacting any formal business and after adopting a resolution praising Jayalalithaa for her administrative skills and her commitment to the poorest segment of society.
She had displayed rare administrative acumen and come up with imaginative projects which helped her to be hailed ‘Amma’ by the people of Tamil Nadu. She had faced several personal, political and administrative challenges, but could come on top of every such situation with her strong political and administrative skills, the resolution said.
By standing firm for the rights of States, she contributed immensely for protection of the federal content of the Constitution. She had also taken special care to maintain good relations with Kerala. Not many leaders could make an imprint in both in the sphere of arts and politics. Her rise as a powerful politician in the largely women-unfriendly Indian political scene should inspire many, it added.
