RIP Amma: Jayalalithaa no more, O Panneerselvam takes oath as Tamil Nadu CM
J Jayalalithaa passed away at 11:30 PM on December 06, 2016.
Jayalalithaa, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and one of India’s most charismatic leaders passed away at 11:30 PM on Monday in Chennai. She was 68-year-old. Jayalalithaa had suffered a cardiac arrest on Sunday evening and was rushed to the ICU. The 68-years-old politician who was under the watch of experts, including cardiologists, breathed her last at Apollo hospital in Chennai. Jayalalithaa was on Monday morning put on extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO), a heart assist device.
The ailing Chief Minister had shown signs of improvement during the last few days before the setback on Sunday. Scores of AIADMK workers have gathered at the Apollo Hospitals. Security has been beefed up across the state with the Tamil Nadu. Heavy deployment of police has been made at the hospital on Greams Road where thousands of supporters of 'Amma' (mother), as she is fondly called by her supporters, and AIADMK cadre have gathered on hearing the news.
An official statement issued by private-run Apollo Hospital confirmed that she passed away at 11.30 pm on Monday after having spent close to two and a half months of being hospitalized. She was admitted with complaints of fever and dehydration on September 22 to Apollo in Chennai. "She was responding well in the Critical Care Unit and had recovered substantially to be able to take food orally," said a statement issued by the hospital. She was later shifted to the high dependency unit where she was being monitored by a panel of experts.
She suffered a massive cardiac arrest on December 4, while the hospital Intensivist who was monitoring her condition, was in the room. "She was immediately administered Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation and was put on Extra Corporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) support within an hour," explained the statement.
The statement further said, "ECMO is the most advanced treatment available currently internationally. Every possible attempt was made to sustain her revival. However despite our best efforts her underlying conditions rendered her unable to recover and she passed away."
Statement from Apollo Hospitals
With agency inputs
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Jayalalithaa's funeral to take place on Wednesday.
Deeply saddened at the passing away of Selvi Jayalalithaa. Her demise has left a huge void in Indian politics. Jayalalithaa ji’s connect with citizens, concern for welfare of the poor, the women & marginalized will always be a source of inspiration. My thoughts and prayers are with the people of Tamil Nadu in this hour of grief. May the Almighty grant them the strength to bear this irreparable loss with courage and fortitude. I will always cherish the innumerable occasions when I had the opportunity to interact with Jayalalithaa ji. May her soul rest in peace. - Prime Minister Narendra Modi
Medical update on CM's health expected soon.
Light shut, gates closed at Apollo Hospital. All roads to Poes Garden, Jayalalithaa's resident also closed.
AIADMK MLAs meeting postponed.
6000 police personnel on standby.
Stop spreading rumours, people are worried about Jayalalithaa: Kanimozhi
Jaya 'responding' to treatment: AIADMK
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa, who suffered a cardiac arrest and is in a critical condition, is "responding" to the treatment being given by experts, who include a four-member AIIMS team, her party AIADMK said, "The AIIMS team... they have come and are treating (Jayalalithaa). She is responding to it," a spokesperson from the ruling party said tonight without elaborating. The senior leader's remarks came even as Apollo Hospital, where Jayalalithaa is admitted, said its specialists and those from AIIMS were constantly monitoring the 68-year-old chief minister very closely. The Centre had earlier in the day dispatched a team of specialists from the All India Institute of Medical Sciences to the Apollo Hospital where Jayalalithaa is undergoing treatment after suffering cardiac arrest late yesterday. The team of AIIMS doctors include pulmonologist Dr G C Khilnani, anaesthetist Dr Anjan Trikha, cardiac surgeon Dr Sachin Talwar and cardiologist Dr Rajiv Narang. PTI
Naidu briefs PM Modi on Jaya's health condition
Union minister M Venkaiah Naidu, who has been camping in Tamil Nadu since today morning, has apprised Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the latest health condition of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. Naidu, who met doctors from the Apollo hospital, where she is admitted and those from AIIMS who have been called in to treat the AIADMK chief, briefed the Prime Minister on the latest health condition of the 68-year-old chief minister, sources said. Jayalalithaa suffered a cardiac arrest late last night and is said to be in an "extremely grave" condition. Naidu also met top leadership of AIADMK, including party legislators, during the day, sources said. They said Jayalalithaa's condition would be evaluated once again around 10.30 pm
Apollo Hospitals said this evening that a team of its doctors and those from AIIMS were continuously monitoring the health of Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and denied as "totally baseless and false" reports that she was no more. "Some TV channels are wrongly reporting that the Honourable CM is no more. It is totally baseless and false. They are advised to rectify this mistake based on this press release," the hospital said in a statement after news channels reported that the AIADMK leader was no more. Read more about Jayalalithaa's health update.
Bandh-like situation in Chennai
A near total shutdown like situation prevailed in the city with shops and other establishments downing shutters and office goers returning home early as Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa's health condition continued to remain critical today. The entire area in and around Apollo Hospitals, where she is being treated since September 22, resembled a fortress with traffic completely halted on the road leading to the hospital and a heavy police posse deployed. At the hospital hundreds of AIADMK party workers continued to stay put and raised slogans saying their beloved 'Amma' should recover. Some were seen protesting against some TV channels, which aired wrong news of Jayalalilthaa's health condition earlier in the evening.
Congress expressed concern over the health of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa even as it expressed confidence she will be able to overcome the difficult situation. "Jayalalithaa ji is a woman of extraordinary courage and has a vast reservoir of strength. In the past she has gone through extremely difficult circumstances and challenges. We are confident that she will be able to overcome this difficult situation as well," Congress spokesperson Gaurav Gogoi said.
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh today ruled out the possibility of law and order problems in Tamil Nadu in the wake of the latest update on the health condition of Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. "There is no issue of law and order. Law and order is not a concern yet," he told reporters here. Singh had last night spoken to Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and enquired about the health of Jayalalithaa, who, according to Apollo Hospitals, "continues to be very critical," a day after suffering cardiac arrest. She is on various life support systems, the hospital said.
AIADMK MLAs to meet later in the evening
With the health of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa deteriorating, party MLAs are scheduled to meet later this evening apparently to chalk out the next course of action. Earlier in the day also the AIADMK MLAs had met at Apollo Hospital, where Jayalalithaa is undergoing treatment, and reportedly discussed the leadership issue among other matters. Though party sources did not reveal the agenda of the meeting scheduled in the evening, they, however, confirmed that the legislators would discuss key matters. According to doctors, the condition of Jayalalithaa, who suffered cardiac arrest, is very "grave". AIADMK has a total of 136 MLAs in the the 234-member House, including Jayalalithaa, who represents Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar.
Various media reports suggest that all AIADMK MLAs have signed a statement to promote Jayalalithaa’s OP Panneerselvam as her successor.