J Jayalalithaa will be sworn in as chief minister of Tamil Nadu on May 23. She will be elected as the party legislature leader on May 22.

AIADMK spokesperson C R Saraswathi told reporters that chief minister O Panneerselvam would tender his resignation soon after the MLAs meeting andJayalalithaa would be sworn in as chief minister the following day.

She is likely to be sworn in by governor K Rosiah at a ceremony to be held in the Centenary auditorium of the Madras University.

"Yes it is confirmed. OPS will resign on May 22 and on May 23 our party chief will become the chief minister of Tamil Nadu," Saraswathy told reporters.

"DMK and other opposition parties here are afraid of our chief and that is why they talk unnecessary things about the R K Nagar byelection. All other questions will be answered on May 23," she said.

On Sunday, the party MLA P Vetrivel resigned from his RK Nagar constituency. It is likely that Jayalalithaa would contest from this Chennai constituency. As per election commission norms, she would have to get elected within six months of her assuming charge as chief minister.

While Jayalalithaa announced the date of the MLAs meeting, secrecy shrouded the date of her swearing in.

When the Karnataka high court had acquitted her in disproportionate assets case, Jayalalithaa had said it is a victory for justice and defeat for those who had conspired to defame and malign "my legacy and the legacy of my mentor MGR."In a press release, Jayalalithaa said,

"I don't take it as a victory for me but a victory for truth and victory for the people of Tamil Nadu. I thank the people of Tamil Nadu for reposing faith on me and I thank God for the gift of people's love."

Criticizing the opposition, especially the DMK, Jayalalithaa said, "The DMK has not been able to win against me in the elections and hence they tried to put an end to my career through other ways, finally justice has prevailed".