Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa has "completely recovered" and will soon decide on when to leave the hospital, Chennai's Apollo hospital said on Friday, NDTV reported. Earlier in the day, hospital authorities had said she would be moved into a private room from the critical care unit, The Indian Express reported. The All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam leader has been hospitalised since September 22, when she was admitted with fever and dehydration.

The hospital's chief, Dr Pratap Reddy, said the 68-year-old leader was aware of what is happening around her and "asks and demands what she wants". Senior AIADMK leader C Ponnaiyan said the chief minister’s lung infection was “under control” and had passed the “critical stage”. “The respiratory system is being weaned away. It is being used on and off,” he said, adding that Jayalalithaa was managing to consume semi-solid food as well as hold conversations. Ponnaiyan said the team of doctors attending to Jayalalithaa would decide on when to discharge her. The Hindu reported that the chief minister could be allowed to leave the hospital in three weeks.

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Reports suggested that a bulletin detailing her medical health would soon be issued by the hospital. While Jayalalithaa’s condition has been a major cause for concern in the state, Opposition parties including the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam have questioned how she approved the reallocation of portfolios to Finance Minister O Panneerselvam while being treated. Controversy also arose after she put her left thumb impression on the nomination paper for an AIADMK candidate for a by-election on November 19.

AIADMK supporters are still holding special prayers across Tamil Nadu for her recovery. One of her supporters allegedly committed suicide in Tirupur district on October 13 after reading reports about her health deteriorating. Her illness came during the ongoing Cauvery water-sharing dispute with Karnataka.