Karunanidhi Under Intensive Care, Tamil Nadu CM, Ministers Throng Hospital

Chennai: DMK president M Karunanidhi is stable and continues to be treated at the ICU of a hospital for the third consecutive day as Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami and his deputy O Panneerselvam visited the hospital to enquire about the leader's health.

Palaniswami, after visiting Karunanidhi at Kauvery Hospital, told reporters that the DMK chief's health condition is "stable...he is well...a medical team is attending on him... Me and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam along with DMK party working president M K Stalin and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi visited him in person."

State ministers, including Health Minister C Vijayabaskar and Law minister C Ve Shanmugam accompanied the Chief Minister to the hospital.

Emerging out of the hospital by 9.45 PM, DMK working president M K Stalin said the health status of his father was stable.

Referring to the medical bulletin issued yesterday by the hospital, he said "the same status as stated in the bulletin continues...doctors are monitoring and providing intensive care."

Last night, a medical bulletin issued by Kauvery Hospital said "There was a transient setback in the clinical condition of M Karunanidhi. With active medical support, his vital signs are normalising. He continues to be closely monitored and treated by the panel of expert doctors."

A bulletin is yet to be issued on Monday. DMK senior leader Duraimurugan said 'Thalaivar (leader) is doing well," and appealed to cadres to maintain calm.

Meanwhile, NCP chief Sharad Pawar visited the hospital and enquired about the health of the nonagenarian leader with Stalin and Rajya Sabha MP Kanimozhi.

"Visited the ailing former Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu M Karunanidhi in Chennai. Wished him a speedy recovery and good health," Pawar tweeted.

While leaders of parties in Tamil Nadu and trade body representatives visited the hospital, DMK workers continued to swarm the hospital premises at upscale Alwarpet here.

This was despite a plea by police to avoid crowding the area and from Stalin to maintain calm and cooperate with police in maintaining law and order. Police had late last night resorted to a mild baton charge as cadres did not disperse from the area to make way for DMK leaders to leave the hospital.

Karunanidhi was admitted to the hospital in the early hours of Saturday after his blood pressure dropped.

On July 18, he underwent a procedure at the same hospital to replace a tracheostomy tube to help him breathe normally.