Thousands gather after Jayaram Jayalalithaa suffers heart attack

INDIA - The south Indian state of Tamil Nadu is bracing for unrest after its ailing chief minister, Jayalalithaa Jayaraman, suffered a heart attack last weekend.

The 68-year-old, known to her supporters as “Amma” (mother), starred in more than 150 movies before becoming a titanic figure in the state’s politics and serving as chief minister four times. She was taken to Apollo Hospitals in the state capital Chennai where a spokesman said she had had surgery and was improving, but remained in “grave” condition. Jayalalithaa was hospitalised two months ago with a fever, dehydration and a respiratory infection but was said to be recovering well. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party leader has an intense following in the state that is typical of a south Indian political culture, where politicians and film stars can develop a quasi-religious following. Thousands of Jayalalithaa’s supporters have surrounded the hospital where she is being treated and more than 1,000 security personnel have been deployed to the site, according to Indian media.

Her

third

stint

in

office

in 2014 was cut short after a court found her guilty of corruption and sentenced her to four years’ prison. The decision triggered riots across the state that saw vehicles set alight and women shave their heads in mourning. The conviction was set aside the following year and she returned to office in May 2015.

(Reuters.com)