Jayalalithaa on respiratory support; DMK demands a 'new chief minister' for Tamil Nadu

Chennai: At a time when Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa is being treated at the Apollo  Hospital where she continues to be on respiratory support, main Opposition party DMK has demanded a ''new Chief Minister" to streamline governance in the AIADMK-ruled state.

According to reports, the demand was made by DMK treasurer MK Stalin, who had said ''either a CM in-charge or a new Chief Minister'' be appointed for smooth governance.

However, Stalin's demand found little support, even from the ally of DMK - the Congress.

"When Chief Minister Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital, medical bulletins said that she will be discharged in a few days. Now, they say that she has to stay longer, and under such circumstances the state is also facing several issues like Cauvery," DMK treasurer and Leader of Opposition in the Assembly, M K Stalin told reporters.

"Hence, in order to ensure that the administration is being run properly, for sure, immediately a chief minister in-charge or a new chief minister should be appointed," he had said.

He also remarked that, "It is the duty of the government to streamline governance (by appointing a new CM or a CM-incharge)."

Tamil Nadu Congress Committee president S Thirunavukkarasar however said, "A regime is in place and the Chief Minister's health is improving."

"There is a Governor for (supervising) governance, (who is) the Constitutional head of the State government like the President at the Union level ... there is a Chief Secretary, Home Secretary, Secretaries for departments, Director General of Police, and senior Ministers are there ... there is a government machinery (in place)," he said, adding there was no "such need" for a Chief Minister in-charge.

MDMK chief Vaiko too said there was no need for any chief minister in-charge.

Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (which is part of the People's Welfare Front comprising MDMK, CPI, and CPI(M)) chief Thol Thirumavalavan said, "Till such time the Chief Minister recovers, a democratic and transparent interim arrangement should be made in accordance with the Constitution to run governance in Tamil Nadu."

On Monday, the Apollo Hospital said that Jayalalithaa is being "constantly monitored" by the doctors, including one from AIIMS, who had examined her last week and visited her again yesterday.

"Prof Dr G Khilnani, Department of Medicine, All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), visited Apollo Hospital again on October 9 and 10 and examined Honourable Chief Minister," the hospital's Chief Operating Officer, Subbiah Viswanathan, said in a release.

Khilnani, part of a three-member AIIMS panel which examined Jayalalithaa last week, had discussions with the expert panel of the hospital and "concurred with the present line of treatment" being given to the chief minister, the hospital said in a release.

Jayalalithaa continues to be under treatment and is being "constantly monitored" by the intensivists and the other consultants in the expert panel," the release said, adding that necessary respiratory support, antibiotics, nutrition, supportive therapy and passive physiotherapy were being given to her.