Early Diwali for AIADMK as supporters begin celebrations after Jayalalithaa’s bail

Chennai: AIADMK supporters broke out into celebrations, bursting crackers and dancing on the roads here after the Supreme Court granted bail to party chief Jayalalithaa in the illegal assets case, paving way for her homecoming for the Diwali festival.

What started as a sombre day at the party headquarters with grim-faced AIADMK leaders ushering in its 43rd founding day with some workers turning up in black outfits, soon transformed into a celebratory mood with slogans hailing 'Amma' and bursting of crackers reverberating the air.

Avid party workers, whose joy was short-lived on October 7 following conflicting reports about her bail in the Karnataka High Court, were in for some happy news today with men and women dancing in joy over the apex court enlarging their leader on bail.

Earlier, AIADMK workers welcomed the party's founding day in a subdued mood, with Presidium Chairman E Madhusudhanan doing the customary hoisting of the party flag and garlanding the statue of founder MG Ramachandran. He later released a souvenir to mark the occasion.

Party Treasurer and Chief Minister O Panneerselvam and some of his cabinet colleagues were seen sporting a beard, apparently summing up the mood in the party prior to Jayalalithaa securing bail.

A section of party workers were seen wearing black shirts.

In many places across the state, AIADMK workers ushered in the day by garlanding statues of Ramachandran, a charismatic actor who split from the M Karunanidhi-led DMK to form AIADMK, and also hailed Jayalalithaa and had wished for her release.

Special prayers were held by the party faithful in places of religious worship seeking release of Jayalalithaa who was sentenced to four years in jail and slapped with a fine of Rs 100 crore by a Bangalore special court in the Rs 66.65 crore disproportionate assets case on September 27.