Critical Chandrababu Naidu shifted to ICU

A team of medical experts forcibly shifted TDP supremo N Chandrababu Naidu to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of Nizam’s Institute of Medical Science (NIMS) and started injecting IV fluids, though TDP senior leaders and Naidu’s family members resisted the move.

The former chief minister’s hunger strike entered the seventh day on Thursday. The team of doctors led by NIMS director Dr PV Ramesh and eminent cardiologist Dr Somaraju, who tested Naidu around 6 pm, found that Naidu’s condition was critical. Later, a decision to shift him to the ICU at the VIP Millennium block was taken after consulting with the police.

Ramesh said the decision to shift Naidu was unanimous. “The team rushed him to ICU and started giving IV fluids. He is stable now but will take at least 24 hours to bring him out of the critical state.”

The team of doctors also clarified that there was no compulsion from the government to put Naidu on fluids.

Former mayor of Hyderabad and TDP leader Teegala Krishna Reddy alleged that Naidu was overpowered by doctors and the police pushed his family members, including Naidu’s wife Bhuvaneswari, into a room and locked them. However, another TDP leader Nagam Janadhana Reddy said Naidu would continue his fast from the ICU, as he is still not accepting any solid food through mouth.

Though the TDP is adamant to continue their stir outside, Naidu may continue his protest till the government accepts his demands.

Dr Rajeswar Shastry, a physician from Apollo Hospitals said  the symptoms clearly support the decision taken by the NIMS team. “Naidu is a diabetic and continuous malnutrition might have led to release of ketones into his system. This caused drowsiness and a slow shift to the condition of coma.”

Earlier, an all-party meeting called by Chief Minister Kiran Kumar Reddy failed to yield any result with the TDP, CPI and the CPM staging a walkout.