Amid continued speculation and rumours about Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa’s health, the ruling AIADMK on Sunday claimed that their party chief, who is still in the hospital, is currently engaged in discussions about the strategy for local body elections, scheduled on October 7 and 9.

Since Sunday morning, many senior party leaders, including finance minister O Panneerselvam, forest minister Dindigul C Srinivasan and electricity minister P Thangamani visited meet Jayalalithaa, who was admitted in the Apollo Hospitals on September 22, following fever and dehydration.

Most of the ministers, who attended a government programme related to Gandhi Jayanti in the city, left to their respective districts to monitor the party’s preparations for the elections.

However, ministers refused to respond when asked whether they met Jayalalithaa in her ward. “Our Amma is well and she will come back soon”, is the only immediate reply from them.

Senior AIADMK spokesperson C R Saraswathi said that Jayalalithaa was giving instructions to party leaders on preparations for the civic polls. “Our Amma’s health condition is back to normal and she is presently involved in discussing about the local elections”.

Stating that Jayalalithaa will soon be discharged, Saraswathi urged the people and party cadres not believe rumours about the leader’s health condition.

Relieved by Governor Vidyasagar Rao’s assurance that Jayalalithaa was normal again, most party cadres, who were stationed near the Apollo Hospital, started leaving the place since Sunday morning.

Apollo hospital sources also said that doctors are continuously monitoring the health parameters of Jayalalithaa and she is responding well to treatment.

Meanwhile, die-hard AIADMK cadres including senior leaders sought divine intervention by offering special prayers in various temples across the state, including near the Apollo Hospitals for their leader’s speedy recovery.