The Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam on Sunday released the first photos of ailing party chief M Karunanidhi. The photos show Vice President Venkaiah Naidu with the veteran leader at the Kauvery Hospital.
“Visited Kauvery Hospital and met former Chief Minister Thiru Kalaignar Karunanidhi,” Naidu tweeted after his visit. “Met his family members and doctors and enquired about his health. Doctors said he is stable. Wish him a speedy recovery.”
Trinamool Congress leader Derek O’Brien also visited the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief. “I came here on behalf of the Trinamool Congress and [West Bengal Chief Minister] Mamata Banerjee. I met MK Stalin and Kanimozhi and inquired about Karunanidhi’s health,” O’ Brien said.
On Thursday, doctors treating Karunanidhi said his health was on a “slight decline”. He was taken to the hospital after his blood pressure dropped. He was being treated for age-related ailments and a urinary tract infection. He is 94 years old.
On Friday evening, his son MK Stalin said Karunanidhi’s condition was improving and appealed to party workers not to come to their house in Gopalapuram area to visit him. But supporters and party workers continued to gather near the DMK leader’s house.
On Saturday, the hospital said the veteran leader’s health condition was stable with “ongoing active medical support”. “He is continuously being monitored and treated by the panel of expert doctors in the Intensive Care Unit,” the hospital authorities.
Karunanidhi completed 49 years as the party’s president on Friday. His health has not been well since October 2016 when he underwent a procedure to change his tracheostomy tube as part of an attempt to improve his breathing.
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