Polish ruling party chief to have two knee operations

FILE PHOTO: Poland's Law and Justice leader Kaczynski speaks during his media statement at the party headquarters in Warsaw

WARSAW (Reuters) - Poland's ruling party leader, Jaroslaw Kaczynski, told a newspaper on Tuesday he would have two knee-replacement operations after the Oct. 13 elections, following speculation about his health.

Kaczynski, the head of the conservative Law and Justice (PiS) party, canceled a campaign event in January this year due to unspecified health problems.

Last year party officials said he was having trouble with his knees, and investors said worries that it might be something worse weighed on the stock market.

Kaczynski told the Super Express tabloid he would have an operation to replace one knee after the vote, and surgery on the other one a year later.

"Unfortunately I have to do this ... After some time when I can walk with one crutch then it'll be easier to move around," he said.

His party declined to comment further on Tuesday.

(Reporting by Joanna Plucinska; Editing by Andrew Heavens)