PM Modi enquires about health of ailing DMK president M Karunanidhi

After the health bulletin issued by Kauveri Hospital revealed a slight decline in the health of DMK president M Karunanidhi, a slew of political leaders of various parties including AIADMK visited the residence of the veteran Dravidian leader to enquire about his health from Thursday night with a large number of cadres and party leaders gathered outside his Gopalapuram residence.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday morning spoke over the phone to DMK working president MK Stalin and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi to enquire about the health of their father. 

"Spoke to Thiru @mkstalin and Kanimozhi Ji. Enquired about the health of Kalaignar Karunanidhi Ji and offered any assistance required. I pray for his quick recovery and good health. @kalaignar89,” Modi tweeted.

Spoke to Thiru @mkstalin and Kanimozhi Ji. Enquired about the health of Kalaignar Karunanidhi Ji and offered any assistance required. I pray for his quick recovery and good health. @kalaignar89

— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) July 27, 2018

In a statement released on Thursday evening, the hospital’s executive director Aravindan Selvaraj said that there has been a slight decline in Karunanidhi’s health due to age-related ailments. "He is currently being treated for fever due to Urinary Tract Infection (UTI) with intravenous antibiotics and fluids. He is being monitored and treated round the clock by a team of medical and nursing professionals, who are providing hospital-level care at his home,” read the bulletin.

A large posse of police has been deployed outside Karunanidhi’s residence to manage the swelling crowd and stream of political party leaders and VIPs visiting there. The cadres were raising slogans hailing Karunanidhi who is affectionately called as Kalaignar. DMK general secretary and longtime associate K Anbazhagan visited Karunanidhi at his residence on Friday morning. 

"Kalaignar is in good health. I could not meet him but spoke to Stalin. He told me Kalaignar is recovering well," said MDMK general secretary Vaiko after visiting DMK leader’s residence on Friday. He said that he hopes that mother nature would help Karunanidhi to get well soon and speak in his “magnetic” voice.

BJP state president Dr Tamilisai Soundararajan said she expressed her wish to brother Stalin to see Kalaignar recover and get back to active life. “He is very close to my family. It was him who presided over my marriage. He also presided my son’s wedding,” she said, adding that Prime Minister enquired about Kalaignar health over the phone to Stalin and offered to extend any possible help if needed.

Immediately after the hospital bulletin, senior AIADMK leaders led by party co-ordinator and Deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam visited Gopalapuram residence and enquired about the health of the ailing leader with his son Stalin. Panneerselvam said that Karunanidhi is well. “He is well. The leader’s health is well,” he said. 

Actor and Makkal Needhi Maiam founder Kamal Haasan, Tamil Manila Congress president GK Vaasan, CPI (M) state secretary K Balakrishnan, Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi president Thol Thirumavalavan, actor turned politician Sarathkumar and among others visited Gopalapuram residence.