Rahul Gandhi hopes Jayalalithaa gets better very soon

With Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa's health condition deteriorating, Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Monday prayed for speedy recovery of the AIADMK supremo and expressed hope that she gets better very soon.

"I hope she recovers and gets well as soon as possible," Gandhi told the media here.

The Congress vice-president also took to Twitter to convey his concerns for the ailing Chief Minister.

"Praying for Jayalalithaa ji's quick recovery. I hope she gets better very soon," he tweeted.

Releasing a fresh update on Jayalalithaa's health, the Apollo Hospital earlier in the day announced that her condition is 'very critical', adding she has been put on Extracoporeal Membrane Oxygenation (ECMO) and other life support systems.

"The Honourable Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu who suffered a cardiac arrest yesterday evening, continues to be very critical and is on ECMO and other life-support systems. The Honourable Chief Minister is being treated and closely monitored by a team of experts," the hospital said in a statement.

Taking cognizance of Jayalalithaa's health condition, Union Minister M. Venkaiah Naidu spoke to Tamil Nadu Governor Ch Vidyasagar Rao and state Chief Secretary P. Rama Mohana Rao. Naidu will also fly down to Chennai to assess the situation.

The special team of doctors from the All India Medical Sciences (AIIMS) in Delhi has also reached Chennai.

Meanwhile, security has been beefed up outside the Apollo Hospital as the supporters of Jayalalithaa popularly known as Amma have gathered and are praying for her speedy recovery.

Jayalalithaa has been in hospital since September 22 when her health condition deteriorated suddenly.