Tamil Nadu Opposition Steps Up Call For Jayalalithaa's Stand-In

Chennai: Tamil Nadu opposition DMK leader MK Stalin visited Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa in hospital on Saturday, raising the call to name a stand-in once again.

"I visited the hospital and enquired about Jayalalithaa's health. We wish her speedy recovery," he said. On Friday, he had said, "Till her return let there be a deputy or an interim chief minister to resolve key issues like the Cauvery dispute. Someone next in the hierarchy can take charge. That's our stand."

Ms Jayalalithaa, who was hospitalised last month, is undergoing lung decongestion as well as other "comprehensive measures" and continues to be under constant monitoring, Apollo Hospital said yesterday.

But the hospital's health bulletins have been cryptic about her state, avoiding any mention of whether the 68-year-old leader, is conscious or otherwise.

In the 80s, Jayalalithaa's mentor MG Ramachandran had appointed veteran leader VR Nedunchezhiyan as acting chief minister when he left for the US for medical treatment.

Though Jayalalithaa had named her loyalist O Panneerselvam as interim Chief Minister when she was convicted twice in cases in her earlier terms, this time a similar announcement has not come.

AIADMK Spokesperson CR Saraswathi said, "There's no need. All work is going on. Ministers and Chief Secretary meet her."

State bureaucrats say the government is on auto-pilot mode, with Jayalalithaa's trusted group of serving and retired bureaucrats calling shots from the hospital.

But some political experts differ. "First thing to be done is divest her ministries and give it to other Ministers. Later after two weeks if she's in hospital still there could be a call on an Interim or Deputy Chief Minister,"  commentator Gnani Sankaran said.

The former movie star who is one of the country's most powerful and popular politicians was admitted to the hospital on September 22 for "fever and dehydration". In subsequent health bulletins, the hospital said Ms Jayalalithaa was "responding well to the treatment" but has been advised "a few more days" under observation.

Governor Vidyasagar Rao met on Friday evening with the top bureaucrat, the state's Chief Secretary, and two senior ministers including Mr Panneerselvam and E K Palanisamy to discuss the state's administration.