Jaya death anniversary: EPS, OPS lead silent march

The late AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa was remembered on her first death anniversary on Tuesday with party veterans K Palaniswami and O Panneerselvam leading workers in paying tributes at her mausoleum.

Clad in black shirts, Chief Minister K Palaniswami and Deputy Chief Minister O Pannneerselvam led a silent march of party functionaries including ministers, MPs and MLAs from Anna Salai to Jayalalithaa's burial site at Marina beach.

Palaniswami and Panneerselvam placed a wreath at the memorial, where Jayalalithaa was laid to rest in December 2016.

The two senior leaders stood with folded hands for some time and then bowed down to pay their respects.

Chants by supporters hailing Jayalalithaa filled the air even as some functionaries were seen getting emotional.

AIADMK functionaries s also paid tributes at the memorial of party founder, the late chief minister M G Ramachandran.

Later, party workers led by Panneerselvam took an oath to mark the day.

In the oath, the AIADMK workers vowed to ensure that the "golden rule" of Jayalalithaa continues.

They recalled her "relentless hard work" in making AIADMK a successful people's movement and each one of them vowed to be a true party worker walking in the footsteps of the late leader to ensure the party's growth.

They also recollected Jayalalithaa's popular statement of "makkalukkaga naan, makkalukkagave naan (I am for the people, I am because of people)," and vowed to continue working in that direction.

Panneerselvam started reading the oath by describing Jayalalithaa as AIADMK's "permanent general secretary," a refrain often used by the party leaders when she was in charge of its affairs.

The unified AIADMK, formed following the merger of the then factions led by Palaniswami and Panneerselvam in August, has since done away with the powerful post of the general secretary, making Panneerselvam the coordinator and Palaniswami co-coordinator.

Party men also vowed to "protect" AIADMK and strive to work towards its future successes.

Later, they observed two-minutes silence in respect of the late leader. Jayalalithaa's mausoleum saw a steady stream of visitors, with scores of public paying tearful tributes to the late chief minister.

Jaya Plus, a news channel part of the Jaya TV network managed by the family of deposed and jailed AIADMK leader V K Sasikala, ran shows on Jayalalithaa's various pro-people initiatives as chief minister.

In Puducherry, AIADMK workers took out a procession from near the statue of Annadurai to the beach road there to pay homage at the portrait of Jayalalithaa.