Jayalalithaa may be discharged soon: Kerala Governor

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa is likely to be discharged soon from hospital, Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam said on Monday.

"All the specialists' doctors informed us that there is a good response to the treatment and she is likely to be discharged soon and soon she will take over the administration of the state," Sathasivam told the media.

The Governor made the comments after visiting the Apollo Hospital with Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan.

Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital last month.

Vijayan said he and the Governor decided to come to convey the best wishes of the people of Kerala and to wish her speedy recovery.

"We got good positive news from the doctors. They said she will recover soon. We have received the good news that she is getting better," he said.

Vijayan arrived from Kozhikode while Sathasivam came from Thiruvananthapuram. The latter waited for Vijayan at the Chennai airport and they drove together in the same car to the hospital.

Meanwhile, Union Minister M. Venkaiah Nadu told reporters here that only the ruling AIADMK party can decide on an acting Chief Minister or Deputy Chief Minister till Jayalalithaa recovers.

Naidu said Jayalalithaa was recovering well and there was no need to believe "baseless rumours" about her health.

He said doctors had told him that Jayalalithaa was responding well to the treatment.

Puducherry lt Governor Kiran Bedi also visited the Apollo Hospital.

The 68-year-old Jayalalithaa was admitted to the hospital on September 22 for fever and dehydration.

The doctors later said she needed a longer stay at the hospital as she was suffering from infection and put her on respiratory support.

On Saturday, the hospital said: "The respiratory support is closely watched and adjusted. lungs decongestion treatment is being continued. All other comprehensive measures including nutrition, supportive therapy and passive physiotherapy are under way."