AIADMK leader O Pannerselvam’s wife Vijayalakshmi passes away in Chennai

Chennai: AIADMK coordinator and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam’s wife Vijayalakshmi died on Wednesday at a hospital following an illness. She was 66 and died of a heart attack at a private hospital, where she was admitted for treatment days ago, party sources said. Vijayalakshmi had an acute heart attack this morning and despite treatment, she passed away, GEM Hospital said in a statement. The AIADMK leader’s wife had an attack when she was set to be discharged on Wednesday as she recovered following 10 days of treatment, the hospital said. Chief Minister M K Stalin, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan, AIADMK co-coordinator K Palaniswami visited the hospital and extended their condolences and sympathies to Panneerselvam and his son O P Raveendranath, who is also the AIADMK Lok Sabha MP from Theni. In his condolence messages, Stalin said he was shocked and grieved to learn about the demise of Panneerselvam’’s wife Vijayalakshmi and condoled her death. Palaniswami said he was anguished to learn of her death. In a statement, the top AIADMK leader said he prayed to the Almighty to give strength to “my brother Panneerselvam to bear this agony.” Extending his condolences to Panneerselvam and his family, the leader of opposition said he prayed for her soul to rest in peace. Vijayalakshmi’s body has been taken to Panneerselvam’’s native Periyakulam in Theni District and the funeral would be held there following public homage, sources added. State Secretaries of CPI and CPI(M), R Mutharasan, and K Balakrishnan respectively, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, BJP MLAs Vanathi Srinivasan, M R Gandhi, Dravidar Kazhagam chief K Veeramani visited the hospital and met Panneerselvam to condole his spouse’s death. Former Ministers including S P Velumani and C Vijayabaskar, AIADMK leaders including KP Munusamy were also in the hospital.