'Lead us as party President', DMK party meet pledges support to Stalin

Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam's (DMK) first executive committee meeting after the demise of its long-term president M Karunanidhi took place at the party headquarters in Chennai on Tuesday.

The urgent meeting of the Executive Committee was called to pass a resolution condoling the death of party President and former Chief Minister M Karunanidi.

The DMK's Executive Committee also made it clear that the party was solidly behind its Working President M K Stalin

The meeting was chaired by party's working president Stalin who is also the Leader of the Oppositon in the Tamil Nadu Assembly.

After the passage of the condolence resolution, speaker after speaker including leaders like Duraimurugan, T R Baalu and others expressed their support to Stalin and urged him to take over the party's mantle.

End of an era: DMK President M Karunanidhi passes away at 94

Muthuvel Karunanidhi, 94, the five-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu and president of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) passed away in Chennai on Tuesday. He entered the 50th year as the president of DMK late last month, the longest tenure by a person as head of one of Tamil Nadu's major Dravidian parties.

"With deep anguish, we announce the demise of our beloved Kalaignar Dr M Karunanidhi on August 7, 2018 at 6.10 p.m. Despite the best possible efforts by our team of doctors and nurses to resuscitate him, he failed to respond," said a release by Chennai's Kauvery Hospital, where he was undergoing treatment.

Authorities, apprehensive about law and order problems, stepped up security in Tamil Nadu, especially in capital Chennai, after Karunanidhi's death. Shops, theatres and hotels downed shutters, and offices asked people to leave early as a large number of DMK supporters thronged the hospital.

Karunanidhi's health declines, DMK leader on 'active medical support'

DMK President M Karunanidhi's health condition has declined, and maintaining his vital organ functions remain a challenge due to age-related ailments, said the private hospital in Chennai where the politician is undergoing treatment.

"He is on continuous monitoring and being treated with active medical support. His response to medical intervention over the next 24 hours will determine the prognosis," Kauvery Hospital's release said on Monday.

The former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister was admitted to the facility on 28 July after his blood pressure dropped. The hospital faced a scare the next day when Karunanidhi, 94, had difficulties in breathing.

In an official statement on 31 July, Kauvery Hospital's Executive Director, Aravindaran Selvaraj, said Karunanidhi will have to stay at the facility for some more time due to an overall decline in his general health.

Many senior leaders, including Vice President Venkaiah Naidu and Congress President Rahul Gandhi, have visited Karunanidhi in hospital.