Doctors’ press meet “stage-managed”: Jayalalithaa’s niece 

Chennai: Deepa Jayakumar, the niece late Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J. Jayalalithaa, on Tuesday said the media briefing called by the AIADMK leader's doctors was "stage-managed".

Jayakumar said she cared about the state and the people, and not about her aunt's property, and accused the state police of creating hurdles in her public programmes by refusing permission and other means.

"I will not be cowed down by threats," she said, when asked if she had received any. "A lot of people are unhappy about AIADMK. I will not ditch people who come to me. I will continue to be in public life till the end," said Jayakumar, who has been positioning herself as her aunt's political heir.

Jayakumar said she would announce her future plans on February 24. Earlier, she had said she would announce her decision whether to join AIADMK or float her own party on that day.

On AIADMK's decision to elect Jayalalithaa's close aide V.K. Sasikala as the party's General Secretary and the leader of the legislature party, Jayakumar said: "Being with someone for 33 years is not a qualification to become the Chief Minister of a state." Jayalalithaa died on Dec 5, 2016, after being admitted to Apollo Hospital for around 75 days.

--IANS