Tamil Nadu CM Jaylalitha died at Apollo Hospital

J Jaylalitha, one of the powerful and influential politicians of India died last night due to cardiac arrest at the Apollo hospital in Chennai. She was admitted for dehydration and fever to the Chennai hospital on September 22 . Her condition soon deteriorated, and she was diagnosed with a severe respiratory infection. Specialists from Delhi’s AIIMS hospital and a pulmonary expert from London were flown in for consults.

In 2014, she was convicted for misusing an earlier term in office in the 1990s to accumulate cash and property that could not be accounted for with her declared income – she had claimed her salary at that time was a token one rupee. Her trial took place in neighbouring Karnataka, where the case, filed by rival party, the DMK, had been moved to ensure it was not influenced by her power. Nine months later, she was acquitted and she returned triumphant to her home state to be reinstated as Chief Minster.

The charismatic politician Jaylalitha also known as Amma was a famous movie star, after acting in more than 100 films, Ms Jayalalithaa rose to political leadership with the backing of MG Ramachandran, her co-star who founded the AIADMK. After his death, she became its chief in 1988. 

Amma to legions of her supporters, Jayalalithaa’s death triggered an outpouring of grief from millions of supporters.

The Kerala government declared a holiday on Tuesday to mourn the demise of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jaylalitha. All government offices and educational institutions will remain closed.

In a series of tweets last night, the Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who enjoyed a good personal equation with the late leader, had said that he was “deeply saddened at the passing away of Selvi Jayalalithaa. Her demise has left a huge void in Indian politics.” He left for Chennai to pay floral tributes to Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa. 

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