Tamil Nadu minister OS Manian says they were 'briefed' about Jayalalithaa's health

Coimbatore: Amid conflicting claims by AIADMK leaders over access to party supremo Jayalalithaa during her hospitalisation, Tamil Nadu minister OS Manian on Wednesday said the state health minister and the Apollo Hospitals chairman had briefed them about her health status.

“We were given updates on her health status by (health minister) C Vijayabaskar and Apollo Hospitals’  chief Pratap C Reddy,” he told reporters.

Manian, the handlooms and textile minister, was replying to a specific question on who were the ministers who had seen Jayalalithaa during her 75 days of hospitalisation from 22 September last year.

She had died on 5 December, 2016.

His comments come at a time when some state ministers had made contradictory claims on meeting the then chief minister in hospital.

Forest Minister Dindigul C Srinivasan and Commercial Taxes Minister KC Veeramani had recently said that no one was allowed to see Jayalalithaa, while their Cabinet colleague Sellur K Raju on Tuesday contradicted them.

“All the ministers met her,” he had told reporters.

Sidelined AIADMK leader TTV Dhinakaran camp on Tuesday said the inquiry commission announced by the state government to probe Jayalalithaa’s death should question the ministers over their contradictory views.

Manian also welcomed the constitution of the inquiry commission to probe the death of Jayalalithaa.