Ailing chief minister of India's Tamil Nadu suffers cardiac arrest

The ailing Chief Minister of southern Indian state of Tamil Nadu, J Jayalalithaa, on Sunday evening suffered a cardiac arrest inside a hospital where she was being treated for a prolonged lung infection for the past three months.

Jayalalithaa's condition worsened after she suffered the cardiac arrest at Apollo Hospital in Chennai, the capital city of Tamil Nadu.

"The honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, who is undergoing treatment at Apollo Hospital, suffered a cardiac arrest this evening," a statement issued by chief operating officer Apollo Hospital Dr Subbaiah Viswanathan said. "She is being treated and monitored by a team of experts, including cardiologists, pulmonologist and critical care specialists."

Jayalalithaa suffered the cardiac arrest hours after her regional All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Khazagham (AIADMK) party said she will return home "soon" as an expert team from India's premier health institute All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) has confirmed that she has fully recovered.

In Oct., she handed over all her responsibilities and portfolios to her deputy and trusted colleague O Panneerselvam.

Though Jayalalithaa continued to remain chief minister but Panneerselvam apart from holding the charges of her ministries was presiding over the cabinet meetings with a framed photograph of Jayalalitha prominently placed before him.

Panneerselvam, a trusted aide of Jayalalithaa has filled in for her when she was arrested two years ago and previously in 2001 when she was barred by India's Supreme Court.

The 68-year-old leader was hospitalised on Sept. 22 after she complained of fever and dehydration. Initially her illness was kept secret . However, it triggered an uneasiness among her supporters in the state and triggered rumours.

Local media reports quoting their sources said paramilitary forces have been asked to remain on standby in and around Tamil Nadu. Officials suspect her supporters could resort to violence and acts of self-immolation in the event of bad news related to her.

Jayalalithaa, a former movie star has served as the chief minister of Tamil Nadu on numerous occasions since 1991. She is head of the regional All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Khazagham (AIADMK) party and her tenure was surrounded by controversies. She was even jailed in past on charges of corruption.

In between her stints as head of the government, Tamil Nadu was ruled by her great rival, the 93-year-old M Karunanidhi, leader of the DMK party.

Jayalalitha has starred in more than 100 films before joining politics. She was brought into politics by the then actor-turned-chief minister MG Ramachandran with whom she starred in many of her films.

Her supporters and partymen has given her the name -- Amma which in Tamil language means mother. Endit