TAMIL NADU CM JAYALALITHAA IN HOSPITAL, SETS OFF SPECULATION ON HEALTH

CHENNAI: Tamil Nadu was caught in frantic speculation about the health of chief minister J Jayalalithaa on Friday, a day after the reticent leader was admitted to a Chennai hospital with what doctors and the ruling AIADMK described as high fever and dehydration.

“Amma is absolutely fine and there is was nothing to worry. She will be back in action soon,” said party spokesperson C Ponnaian, one of the many AIADMK leaders and supporters camped outside Apollo Hospital, where she was rushed on Thursday night from her Poes Garden residence.

Television footage showed pictures of wailing party cadres and anxious party leaders outside the hospital even as rumour mills started working overtime, fuelled by the party’s and government’s zealousness to wrap all information on her health under layers of secrecy.

“That she had to be rushed to a hospital closer home rather than to the SRM hospital (her preferred hospital)… indicates an ailment that could be more severe than fever and dehydration,” a senior doctor said on condition of anonymity.

Jayalalithaa, a former actress, is known to be a chronic diabetic, suffering from high blood pressure and arthritis and her swearing in ceremony was also cut short.

Several attempts in the past for information or any comment on her health have been dealt with severely by the government.

DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi and BJP leader Subramanian Swamy are facing defamation cases for speculating on her health. A spate of publications that speculated on her health too were slapped with defamation cases.