Stalin urges party supporters to avoid violence

At 11:45 pm, Stalin issued a statement admitting to his leader’s health suffering a minor setback and appealed to the cadre to “remain peaceful, not create any hindrance to the public and cooperate with police.” “Our beloved leader’s health suffered a minor setback as was stated in the hospital bulletin. His health condition is improving after intensive treatment,” Stalin said.

A grim-faced Stalin along with other DMK leaders left the hospital around 10.45pm, moments after Karunanidhi’s wife Rajathi Ammal returned home. A visibly disturbed MK Alagiri, elder son of Karunanidhi, who left the hospital 30 minutes later around 11.20pm, told media persons at the hospital gate, “He is fine. I met and spoke to him. We will not return home if he is not doing well.” Sister Kanimozhi concurred with Alagiri and said, “He is much better,” exiting the hospital.

Earlier yesterday, the DMK high command released the first image of a bed-ridden Karunanidhi when Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Governor Banwarilal Purohit ‘visited’ Karunanidhi in the company of Stalin and Kanimozhi in the ICU of the hospital. PMK founder Dr Ramadoss, MDMK leader Vaiko and a few other leaders also visited the hospital and enquired about the DMK chief’s health.

Karunanidhi was rushed from his Gopalapuram residence under the supervision of his son MK Stalin and admitted to the hospital at 1.30am Saturday following a sudden dip in his blood pressure, a day after the hospital said he was being offered hospital-level treatment at his house.