The secretariat, which was brought back to the historic Fort St George after AIADMK supremo and chief minister J. Jayalalithaa stormed to power a year ago, was illuminated and the Assembly wore a festive look with floral decorations to commemorate the completion of one year of the AIADMK rule.

Ms Jayalalithaa was accorded a rousing reception when she arrived at the Assembly for the last day’s proceedings of the budget session.

Speaker D. Jayakumar welcomed her with a bouquet of flowers followed by members of various political parties, making Wednesday a red letter day for the AIADMK.

Inside the House, political parties, including the Left, Congress, RPI and AISMK, barring the opposition DMDK (DMK boycotted the proceedings), lauded the chief minister for putting the state’s economy back on track, and for good governance.

The CM was in a cheerful mood throughout and acknowledged when the members commended her efforts. Mr Jayakumar and finance minister O. Panneerselvam sang songs in praise of her.

She chose to give the estranged ally – the DMDK — adequate time to freely express its views. At one point, when party whip V.C. Chandrakumar became highly critical of the government amidst stout opposition from the treasury benches, the Speaker warned of expunging some remarks.

But, Ms Jayalalithaa magnanimously asked the Speaker to allow Mr Chandrakumar to speak and restrained her party members from protesting.

Later, she virtually left Mr Chandrakumar too dazed to react when she asked, “You say the government should have retained the bus fare implemented during the previous DMK rule and also reform the transport sector facing financial crunch. Can you suggest how this can be done?”

Ms Jayalalithaa said she had to transform hurdles into stepping-stones to record many achievements in the first year in office.

“Overcoming the debt burden left by the DMK and its mismanagement besides the Centre’s indifference, we have turned the path of thorns into path of flowers,” she said amidst thumping of desks.

In the process, she said, her government swam against the current to achieve growth trajectory. She recalled her government’s pro-people initiatives.

CM’s speeches in Assembly released

Chief minister J. Jayalalithaa released a collection of her speeches made in the Assembly, besides a short film on the achievements of her government, to commemorate one year in office of the ruling AIADMK.

In the Assembly, members were presented with copies of the book containing her speeches delivered on various occasions and also CDs.

The speeches, in CD format, a booklet containing the achievements of one-year rule of the chief minister and the book: Puratchi Thalaivi Amma’s Inspiring Speeches, were brought out by the state information and publicity department to mark the occasion.

Ms Jayalalithaa released the compendium of her speeches, comprising three parts in Tamil and English. It was titled ‘Puratchi Thalaivi Ammavin Amutha Mozhigal.

A CD containing a short film ‘oorandu Pesum Oraandu Sadhanai’ (One year of achievements, 100 years leap forward), a Tamil new year souvenir ‘uthirai Pathikkum Chithirai,’coffee table book comprising important events of the one-year regime and stickers that symbolise the achievements of the government, were released by the chief minister. The first copies were received by Assembly Speaker D. Jayakumar.