Karunanidhi's health stable, says MK Stalin as politicians rush to hospital to visit DMK chief; party workers asked to maintain peace

Ailing Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) chief M Karunanidhi, who was admitted to Chennai’s Kauvery Hospital on Saturday because of an infection and age-related ailments, is now stable, his son and party working president MK Stalin said. Other political leaders who visited the 94-year-old in hospital on Monday also said he was recovering. Leaders from several political parties, including Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu Edappadi K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam — both from the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) — Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar and two Sri Lankan ministers, visited Karunanidhi in hospital on Monday. Speaking to reporters, Stalin referred to the medical bulletin issued on Sunday and said “the same status as stated in the bulletin continues…doctors are monitoring and providing intensive care”. [caption id=“attachment_4853921” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Chief Minister EK Palaniswami and his ministers meet DMK leader MK Stalin on Monday. Twitter@OfficeofOPS[/caption] On Sunday, the hospital had said that after a “transient setback” in Karunanidhi’s clinical condition, his vital signs were normalising with active medical support. The hospital had also said that the DMK chief was being closely monitored and treated by the panel of doctors. After Palaniswami and Panneerselvam met Karunanidhi in hospital, the chief minister said: “The DMK chief’s health is stable. He is well. A medical team is attending to him. I and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam along with DMK party working president Stalin and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi visited him in person.” State ministers, including Tamil Nadu Law Minister CV Shanmugam, accompanied the chief minister to the hospital. “Karunanidhi’s condition is now stable after a minor setback in the form of a breathing problem on Sunday night. The doctors at Kauvery Hospital are monitoring his condition,” DMK spokesperson TKS Elangovan told IANS on Monday. He said that the 94-year-old leader who is in the intensive care unit has been moving his hands and legs and had also opened his eyes. This was also confirmed by the doctors at the hospital. DMK senior leader Duraimurugan said “Thalaivar (leader) is doing well”. He also appealed to party cadres to remain calm. Pawar, too, visited the hospital and inquired about the health of the nonagenarian leader with Stalin and Kanimozhi.

Visited the ailing former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M. Karunanidhi in Chennai. Wished him a speedy recovery and good health. pic.twitter.com/x0fMVxY8S5

— Sharad Pawar (@PawarSpeaks) July 30, 2018

While leaders of parties in Tamil Nadu and trade body representatives visited Kauvery Hospital, DMK workers continued to swarm the premises of the facility in Chennai’s Alwarpet locality. This was despite a plea by the police to avoid crowding the area and from Stalin to stay calm and cooperate with the police to maintain law and order. According to Elangovan, the anxiety amongst party cadres late on Sunday peaked after a sudden deployment of police officers in large numbers around the hospital and the news of Palaniswami cancelling his programmes in Salem and rushing back to Chennai. Meanwhile, Sri Lankan MPs Arumugam Thondaiman and Senthil Thondaiman visited the DMK chief on behalf of Sri Lankan president Maithripala Sirisena. They handed over a letter to Stalin, in which Sirisena said he hoped for his father’s speedy recovery.

Representatives of Sri Lanka President, Maithripala Sirisena, visited Kauvery hospital to meet former Tamil Nadu CM M Karunanidhi; submitted a letter from Sirisena to DMK working President MK Stalin wishing speedy recovery to Karunanidhi pic.twitter.com/ExfiCrV3IY

— ANI (@ANI) July 30, 2018

Actor-politician Rajinikanth is likely to visit the ailing DMK supremo on Tuesday. According to reports, Rajinikanth will halt a film shoot and fly to Chennai. On 26 July, Kauvery Hospital had said that Karunanidhi was being treated for fever due to a urinary tract infection with intravenous antibiotics and fluids at his home in Chennai. However, after his blood pressure dipped, he was admitted to Kauvery Hospital. With inputs from agencies