File Photo: Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa.
Chennai:
The health of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who has not been seen publicly in nearly 10 days, has become a big controversy in her state, with opposition parties asking the government to clarify whether the 67-year-old is unwell.
Her party denies that the leader plans to travel abroad for a liver transplant, attributing those reports to vendetta by the opposition DMK, Ms Jayalalithaa was sworn in on July 4 as a state legislator after she won a by-election with a record margin.
That election was needed to formalize her return as Chief Minister; her third term had interrupted when she was jailed on charges of corruption last year, which meant she was disqualified as an elected representative.
After she was acquitted in May, she returned to office. The government of neighbouring Karnataka has appealed against her acquittal in the Supreme Court.
"Her health is a matter of public interest and information about it should be made public, said Congress leader EVKS Elangovan, amid swirling rumours that doctors from the US have visited the Chief Minister at her residence. The Tamil Nadu legislature is currently not in session.
Ms Jayalalithaa's arch-rival, M Karunanidhi of the DMK, has accused her of being unable to fulfill her responsibilities as head of the government because of her ill-heath.
A former movie star, Ms Jayalalithaa is one of the most powerful and popular politicians in the country. With 37 seats, her AIADMK is the third-largest party in the Lok Sabha. After her arrest last year, her party said more than 200 people committed suicide in a show of solidarity with their "Amma" (mother).
Ms Jayalalithaa has been investigated for allegedly accruing wealth far beyond her declared sources of income in the early 90s during her first term as Chief Minister. Her trial was moved to neighbouring Karnataka to ensure it would be free of the politics of Tamil Nadu.
Her party denies that the leader plans to travel abroad for a liver transplant, attributing those reports to vendetta by the opposition DMK, Ms Jayalalithaa was sworn in on July 4 as a state legislator after she won a by-election with a record margin.
That election was needed to formalize her return as Chief Minister; her third term had interrupted when she was jailed on charges of corruption last year, which meant she was disqualified as an elected representative.
After she was acquitted in May, she returned to office. The government of neighbouring Karnataka has appealed against her acquittal in the Supreme Court.
"Her health is a matter of public interest and information about it should be made public, said Congress leader EVKS Elangovan, amid swirling rumours that doctors from the US have visited the Chief Minister at her residence. The Tamil Nadu legislature is currently not in session.
Ms Jayalalithaa's arch-rival, M Karunanidhi of the DMK, has accused her of being unable to fulfill her responsibilities as head of the government because of her ill-heath.
A former movie star, Ms Jayalalithaa is one of the most powerful and popular politicians in the country. With 37 seats, her AIADMK is the third-largest party in the Lok Sabha. After her arrest last year, her party said more than 200 people committed suicide in a show of solidarity with their "Amma" (mother).
Ms Jayalalithaa has been investigated for allegedly accruing wealth far beyond her declared sources of income in the early 90s during her first term as Chief Minister. Her trial was moved to neighbouring Karnataka to ensure it would be free of the politics of Tamil Nadu.
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