DMK chief Karunanidhi passes away: Tributes pour in from across the country

Top leaders, including President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi, took to Twitter to offer condolences on the death the DMK patriarch

Muthuvel Karunanidhi, 94, the five-time chief minister of Tamil Nadu and president of Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) passed away in Chennai on Tuesday (August 7, 2018). 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.

Several leaders, including PM Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind, along with other famous personalities from various walks of life, took to Twitter to extend their condolences on the death the DMK patriarch, who was lovingly known as Kalaignar (the artiste).

"Karunanidhi was a doyen of public life," says President Ram Nath Kovind.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi remembered the DMK patriarch as a powerful political personality, "He was committed to democratic ideals; his opposition to Emergency will be remembered."

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K Palaniswami tweeted: 


India has lost a great son, tweeted Congress President Rahul Gandhi 


Actor-turned-politician Rajinikanth tweeted, "Today, the day of my Kalaignar's death is a black day that I will never forget. May his soul rest in peace"

Union minister Arun Jaitley also expressed his grief. He tweeted, " He was a great human being"



Tamil politics can never be the same again, said senior Congress leader Shashi Tharoor

Karunanidhi will be remembered for his years of public service to his state and the country at large: US ambassador to India Ken Juster