Saidai S. Duraisamy of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) was sworn in as Chennai Mayor at a colourful ceremony at the Council Chamber in the 98-year-old Ripon Building on Tuesday.
Watched by Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, Assembly Speaker D. Jayakumar and State Ministers, Mr Duraisamy was administered the oath of office by D. Karthikeyan, Chennai Corporation Commissioner, at 10-50 a.m.
The 59-year-old Duraisamy, who took oath in the name of God, created history by becoming the AIADMK's first Mayor in the history of 323 year-old Chennai Corporation. He became the 48th Mayor of Chennai since the institution of the office of Mayor in 1933.
The AIADMK government, after assumption of office five months ago, had restored the direct mode of election for the post which was indirect in the 2006 elections to Chennai Corporation. The strength of the Chennai Corporation Council was increased to 200 from 155 through the merger of several local bodies in and around the city.
In the polls to the Corporation Council, the party bagged 168 seats. This was for the first time that the AIADMK had bagged such a mandate in the Corporation election. Ten years ago, the party, which had tied up with the now-defunct Tamil Maanila Congress (Moopanar) and Communist Party of India (CPI), had won 67 seats.
Saidai Duraisamy, defeated his nearest rival M. Subramanian of the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in the Mayoral election held last week by over 5 lakh votes.
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