Monday, December 05, 2016

India: thousands gather after Tamil Nadu leader Jayaram Jayalalithaa suffers heart attack...

The south Indian state of Tamil Nadu is bracing for unrest after its ailing chief minister, Jayalalithaa Jayaraman, suffered a heart attack on Sunday evening.

The 68-year-old, known to her supporters as “Amma” (mother), starred in more than 150 movies before becoming a titanic figure in the state’s politics and serving as chief minister four times.

She was taken to Apollo Hospitals in the state capital Chennai where a spokesman on Monday said she had had surgery and was improving, but remained in “grave” condition.

Jayalalithaa was hospitalised two months ago with a fever, dehydration and a respiratory infection but was said to be recovering well.

The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam party leader has an intense following in the state that is typical of a south Indian political culture, where politicians and film stars can develop a quasi-religious following. Full story...

Related posts:
  1. Tamil folk singer arrested for sedition over song criticising Jayalalithaa...
  2. What happens when a state is run by movie stars: the Jayalalithaa story...
  3. From Jayalalithaa to Amma: Genesis of a political brand...
  4. India's Jayalalithaa to return as chief minister of Tamil Nadu...
  5. Jayalalithaa's arrest: 113 died of shock, 41 committed suicide...

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