People Pay Their Last Respects To Jayalalithaa At Rajaji Hall  

Chennai: The mortal remains of AIADMK supremo and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister late J Jayalalithaa were on Tuesday kept in state at Rajaji Hall here for the public to pay their last respects.

Draped in her favourite green colour saree, Jayalalithaa’s body was taken from her Poes Garden residence early this morning to Rajaji Hall where hundreds and thousands of supporters queued up to have a last glimpse of their ‘Puratchi Thalaivi Amma’ (Revolutionary Leader Amma).

As the casket carrying the body of six-time chief minister was placed on the steps of Rajaji Hall, in the heart of the city off arterial Anna Salai, four Army men covered it with the national Tricolour.

Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and his ministerial colleagues, MPs and MLAs and senior state government officials were among the first to pay homage to Jayalalithaa, who passed away at the Apollo Hospitals here at 11.30 last night after waging a grim battle for life since her hospitalisation on September 22.

Her long time confidante Sasikala Natarajan is by her side. Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu also paid his last respect.

Cries of Amma rent the air as the public filed past taking a last glimpse of their beloved leader from a distance away ...

Security has been beefed up at the venue where people lined up to bid a tearful adieu to their 'Amma' (mother) as the 68-year-old leader was fondly called. Cries of Amma rent the air as the public filed past taking a last glimpse of their beloved leader from a distance away from the stairs, where the Tamil Nadu Ministers were seen seated. Jayalalithaa's body was first taken to her Poes Garden residence in the early hours and then brought to the Rajaji Hall.

The funeral will take place at 4.30 pm at the Dr MGR Memorial site off Marina beach, the state government said in an official communication.

National leaders express their condolences

In his lengthy message, Mukherjee described Jayalalithaa as "one of India's most charismatic and popular leaders ... a visionary and (an) able administrator...

Modi, who enjoyed a personal rapport with Jayalalithaa, said her demise had left a huge void in Indian politics. Defining her as a mass leader, Modi said:

Congress President Sonia Gandhi, who too had counted the AIADMK leader as an ally for years, said Jayalalithaa lived the entire life with the same "indomitable courage with which she battled her last illness".

YS Jaganmohan Reddy , the YSRCP chief and leader of Opposition in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly expressed his condolences on the death of the departed leader

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called her "popular, strong, bold, efficient, people-friendly, charismatic leader".

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar described her death as "very saddening". He announced a day's mourning in his state.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: "Very sad to hear the demise of Amma. A very very popular leader. Aam Aadmi's leader. May her soul rest in peace."