Is Jayalalithaa's health condition severe? CM may stay in hospital longer than expected

All eyes are on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) supremo Jayalalithaa ever since she was hospitalised two weeks ago. Apollo Hospitals in Chennai, where she has been undergoing treatment, had initially said in a statement that she was admitted to the hospital on September 22 for fever and dehydration, but was later found out that her health condition was more severe than expected.

Apollo Hospitals authorities have been regularly giving Jayalalithaa's health update through bulletins, claiming that she is recovering well, but her supporters and public seemed to want to know more about her health status. Several rumours started doing the rounds that the 68-year-old CM would be moved abroad for treatment; that she was under ventilator and more. AIADMK leaders have been trying to control speculations about Amma's health, but have failed in doing so.

Then Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) president M Karunanidhi demanded that the state government give an official statement on Jayalalithaa's health along with her photographs to clear all rumours around her health. It was followed by a public interest litigation (PIL) filed by social activist K R Ramasamy, seeking to know her health condition.

Bowing down to public pressure, the hospital revealed a little more information on Jayalalithaa's health, saying that she was on respiratory support and taking antibiotics to treat the infection.

Amid all the speculations around Jayalalithaa's health, her niece Deepa complained that she wasn't allowed to meet her aunt in the hospital, creating scepticism among the public. Indian National Congress party vice-president Rahul Gandhi visited the CM on Friday in Chennai, but didn't meet her.

Apollo Hospitals has said in its latest bulletin on Friday that Jayalalithaa's health is improving and is under the observation of a panel of doctors consisting of intensivist, cardiologists, respiratory physicians, infectious disease specialists and diabetologists.

Dr. Richard Beale has been flown in from London to treat the CM and three doctors from AIIMS, New Delhi, are also monitoring her health.

It appears like the CM will take longer than expected to recover fully.