Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa was admitted to a hospital in September (File)
Highlights
- Jayalalithaa, in hospital for nearly 2 months, releases statement
- Says, waiting to hear news of victory in Tamil Nadu, Puducherry by-polls
- Lung infection full under control, free to leave when she feels: Hospital
In her first statement since she was hospitalised in September, Tamil Nadu chief minister J Jayalalithaa said today, "I have taken rebirth because of people's prayers."
The statement, issued by her party AIADMK from Chennai's Apollo Hospital where Ms Jayalalithaa has been treated for an acute lung infection, is signed and is addressed to workers of her party and the people of Tamil Nadu.
The chief minister said she is "waiting to fully recover and resume work soon."
She has also encouraged party workers to work hard for a win in by-elections to four assembly constituencies in Tamil Nadu and Puducherry on November 19, saying, "Waiting to hear news of an election victory."
Apollo Hospitals chairman Dr Prathap C Reddy said yesterday that the chief minister's lung infection is now "
fully under control and she can leave hospital whenever she feels fit."
He said the hospital has fixed no date to discharge Ms Jayalalithaa. "Her discharge depends upon her. There is no fixed date. She has to reinvigorate herself to go back. What's required is recuperation. The team is working towards that," he said.
Ms Jayalalithaa, 68, was admitted to the hospital on September 22 and her party had initially said she was being treated for fever and dehydration and would be home soon. In subsequent health updates, as her stay in hospital stretched for weeks, doctors said she was suffering from a lung infection and was on respiratory support.
On documents filed for the by-elections by her party's candidates, Ms Jayalalithaa had signed off with a thumb print and her doctors explained that she had not signed the papers as her right hand was inflamed.
A specialist from London and three doctors from AIIMS treated Ms Jayalalithaa, besides a team of doctors from Apollo Hospitals. Earlier this month, Dr Reddy said that the chief minister had completely recovered.
Many senior leaders, including the state's Governor Vidyasagar Rao, have visited the hospital, but none of them has met the chief minister.
Last month, the governor handed charge of the eight ministries she personally supervised to her Finance Minister O Panneerselvam and authorised him to chair cabinet meetings.