Jayalalithaa's hospital video released ahead of RK Nagar by-polls

A video showing former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa at Chennai’s Apollo Hospital has reportedly been released by a supporter of TTV Dhinakaran.

The first ever hospital video of Jayalalithaa, who died in December last year, shows her sitting up on a hospital bed and sipping a drink.

The video has been released just a day ahead of the RK Nagar by-polls in Chennai. The RK Nagar constituency was held by Jayalalithaa till she died.

According to sources, the video appears to be an attempt by the Dhinakaran camp to lay claim on the Jayalalithaa legacy amid a rift within the party.

Sidelined by the ruling AIADMK earlier this year, Dhinakaran is contesting the RK Nagar by-polls against the official party candidate. Jayalalithaa was in the hospital for three long months and she died on December 5.

Meanwhile, DMK MP TKS Elangovan has alleged that the video has been released for personal gains and that it violates the Model Code of Conduct. He also said that the party will bring this issue to the notice of Election Commission.

She was CM, people should have known status of her health but they did not release this video (of Jayalalithaa at Apollo Hospital) at that time, now they did so for personal gains, it violates MCC, we will complain to the Election Commission: TKS Elangovan, DMK MP pic.twitter.com/nfJhyA0iXR

— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2017

Model Code of Conduct is instated now, therefore we expect Election Commission to take immediate action against P Vetrivel: D Jayakumar on video of Jayalalithaa released by P Vetrivel pic.twitter.com/eLWpCjwJYW

— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2017

It is with the intention of influencing #RKNagarBypoll that the video has been purposefully released. Why it was not released earlier, why one day before polls?: D Jayakumar on video of Jayalalithaa released by P Vetrivel pic.twitter.com/7xJn1tfScX

— ANI (@ANI) December 20, 2017