Annamalai advised rest, yatra deferred

CHENNAI: The next leg of Tamil Nadu BJP chief K Annamalai’s ‘En Mann En Makkal’ padayatra has been rescheduled to October 16 due to his ill health.

Annamalai, however, would participate in the party’s state core committee meeting on Thursday. While the party’s state unit announced this on its official X handle, adding that he has been advised rest by doctors, a medical bulletin from Gleneagles Global Health City stated: “The 39-year old politician visited our hospital in Chennai on October 3 late evening with complaints of cough, breathing difficulty, throat pain, body ache and fatigue. He was evaluated by a pulmonologist thoroughly and a high-resolution CT scan of the chest was also performed in addition to other relevant investigations.

“The CT scan showed nodules in the basal segment of the left lung. The provisional diagnosis of the doctor is lower respiratory tract infection of viral aetiology with bronchospasm. He was given some medications to relieve the acute symptoms and sent back home with vitals stable,” it added.

The medical bulletin further said Annamalai has been prescribed medication for five days and has been asked to come for review at the end of five days. “He has been prescribed bed rest for a period of two weeks for recovery,” it added.

Meanwhile, close aides of Annamalai said he would participate in the state core committee meeting and district presidents’ meeting on Thursday at Kamalalayam, state BJP headquarters, as per schedule.

“Following the doctors’ advice, he (Annamalai) needs to take rest for a few more days. So, the yatra is rescheduled again. But, he will attend the various meetings which were scheduled earlier. He will even appear in the Saidapet Court on Thursday in connection with a defamation suit,” sources said.