TN Governor Vidyasagar Rao visits Jayalalithaa at Apollo Hospitals

A day after DMK supremo M Karunanidhi urged the TN state government to put to rest the rumours surrounding Chief Minister Jayalalithaa's health, Tamil Nadu Governor Vidyasagar Rao on Saturday evening visited the Apollo hospital in Chennai where the CM has been admitted. 

An official press release stated, “The Governor of Tamil Nadu, Thiru Ch. Vidyasagar Rao visited the Hon'ble Chief Minister in the Ward where she is being given treatment. The Governor of Tamil Nadu stated that he was thankful to the Doctors who took him to the Ward where the Hon’ble Chief Minister is being given treatment and explaining to the Governor in detail the treatment given to the Hon’ble Chief Minister. The Governor was happy to note that the Hon’ble Chief Minister is recovering well. The Governor appreciated the Doctors for providing the best medical care and treatment to the Hon’ble Chief Minister.”

Dr. M. Thambidurai, Deputy Speaker, Lok Sabha, Thiru O Panneerselvam, Minister for Finance, Personnel & Administrative Reforms, Thiru Edappadi K Palanisamy, Minister for Public Works, Highways and Minor Ports, Thiru P Thangamani, Minister for Electricity, Prohibition & Excise, Thiru S P Velumani, Minister for Municipal Administration & Rural Development, Dr. C Vijaya Baskar, Minister for Health & Family Welfare, Chief Secretary were some of the ministers who received the Governor on his arrival at the Apollo Hospital.  

In a statement released on Friday, Karunanidhi said the Tamil Nadu government has a responsibility to inform the people regarding the health status of the Chief Minister. He also urged the Governor to ensure that this is done to allay the fears of the people.

The 92-year-old leader stated that there were reports of Jayalalithaa attending a meeting on the Cauvery issue from her hospital bed, but there has been no photographic evidence either of her treatment at the hospital nor her meeting with the officials.

“Jayalalithaa should send a video message. This suggestion was given by PMK Chief Dr Ramadoss but the government has not responded to this. The newspapers report that Jayalalithaa is doing all the official work from hospital, so taking a picture of her in hospital and publishing it will not be wrong,” said the DMK leader.

The AIADMK however rejected the demand and on Saturday saying that the CM was recovering.

AIADMK Spokesperson Panruti Ramachandran told reporters that Jayalalithaa is recovering well and they were hopeful that she would be discharged shortly.

"It is not necessary to release picture of Jayalalithaa. We are answerable only to the people, not to the opposition," he told reporters outside the Apollo hospital in Chennai.

The Chief Minister was taken by a special convoy to the hospital on Greams Road on September 22, with fever and dehydration.  

The hospital on Friday said that she did not have fever and is on a normal diet. She is also on medication, they added.