New Delhi (NDTV): J Jayalalithaa, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu and one of India's most powerful and popular politicians, had a cardiac arrest this evening in the Chennai hospital where she has spent the last three months being treated for a prolonged lung infection.

Earlier today, her party, the AIADMK, said the 68-year-old leader would soon decide when to return home with three specialist consultants from Delhi's premier AIIMS hospital declaring her fully recovered.

Apollo Hospital said the Chief Minister is being monitored by a team of doctors including cardiologists, pulmonologists and critical care specialists.

For weeks, doctors attending to her have been saying that "Amma" as she is known to millions of supporters was well enough to decide when to return home. Her party said she was directing important decisions, speaking occasionally to those who were allowed to meet her.

When she was first hospitalised in September, her party said it was for dehydration and fever. It soon became clear that her illness was far more serious. She spent weeks on respiratory support and specialists flew in from London and Delhi to monitor her. The Rolodex of VIPs that have visited hospital to check on her included Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and senior union ministers.