Come back Thalaiva: Saddened supporters wait outside hospital

Hearing about his declining health, large crowds gathered outside Kauvery Hospital. Armed Reserve Police has moved inside Kauvery Hospital.

DMK president M Karunanidhi’s health condition worsened on Monday with doctors finding it challenging to even maintain his vital organ functions. 

A bulletin issued by Kauvery Hospital at 6.30pm read, “Maintaining his vital organ functions continues to remain a challenge considering his age-related ailments,” admitting to a serious decline in the clinical health of Karunanidhi. “He is on continuous monitoring and being treated with active medical support. His response to the medical interventions over the next 24 hours will determine the prognosis,” the bulletin issued by Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, executive director of Kauvery Hospital added. 

Renowned liver transplant surgeon Dr Mohammed Rela has been engaged in treating the ailing DMK president since the middle of last week after the nonagenarian reportedly contracted jaundice. Party and family sources privy to the treatment said his condition deteriorated since Monday midnight after another dip in blood pressure caused by sharp decline in liver functioning and he was subsequently offered inotropic support, which helps stabilise circulation and optimise oxygen supply. 

State Congress president Su Thirunavukkarasar who visited the hospital this afternoon confirmed this when he told reporters outside Kauvery Hospital that there was a mild setback in his health condition in the morning and he was being constantly monitored by the doctors. Tension increased outside the hospital and cadre continued to pour in after Karunanidhi’s octogenarian wife Dayalu Ammal visited him this afternoon, first time since his hospitalisation on July 28. Most senior leaders of the DMK and members of Karunanidhi’s family started reaching the hospital shortly before the hospital released the disturbing bulletin, which contributed to huge DMK cadre turnout near the hospital. 

Around quarter for 9pm, union minister Nitin Gadkari visited the hospital. Dravidar Kazhagam president K Veeramani, CPI state secretary R Mutharasan, CPM state secretary K Balakrishnan and DMDK deputy general secretary LK Sudeesh have also visited Kauvery Hospital after news broke out about the DMK chief’s health taking a turn for the worse. 

Emerging out of the hospital, K Balakrishnan said, “We visited the hospital after learning about the deterioration in his health condition this morning. Stalin told us that his condition deteriorated further.” DMK MPs also started arriving from the national capital by late Monday evening.