In another non-partisan gesture from the DMK camp, on Thursday night, DMK supremo Karunanidhi’s wife and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi’s mother, Rajathi Ammal, visited Apollo Hospital to enquire after the health of CM Jayalalithaa.
A source in Karunanidhi’s office said that Rajathi Ammal had been seeking permission to meet the Chief Minister from the DMK supremo ever since he wrote a note wishing Jayalalithaa a fast recovery. Particularly after Stalin’s visit to Apollo Hospital, Rajathiammal had been insistent that she wanted to visit the hospital. "She had told Kalaignar that a woman from the family should meet Jayalalithaa or her aides and extend our well wishes," the source said.
Kanimozhi and Jayalalithaa’s office confirmed that Rajathiammal visited the hospital around 7 pm on Thursday. She could not meet Jayalalithaa, but spoke to her aide Sasikala about the CM’s health.
Though most Tamil channels have reporters posted outside Apollo hospital on a 24-hour basis, the channels seem to have missed the visit as Rajathi Ammal would have gone in like any other private citizen.
Apollo Hospital has seen a stream of high-profile visitors in the last few days, including Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi, Union Minister Venkaiah Naidu and Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan. Among the political leaders of Tamil Nadu CPI’s D Raja, TMC’s GK Vasan, BJP’s Tamilisai Soundararajan and MDMK’s Vaiko had visited. The DMK had also earlier been represented by party Treasurer and Leader of the Opposition, MK Stalin, visiting the hospital on Saturday. ‘
After his visit, Stalin had said that he discussed the CM’s health with Ministers O Panneerselvam and Vijaya Bhaskar and expressed his wishes that she recover soon.