'Darling of masses' Jayalalithaa's demise is irreparable loss: Ananth Kumar

Expressing grief over the demise of late Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalithaa, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Ananth Kumar on Tuesday said the former was a popular leader and a darling of the masses, adding her death is an irreparable loss to the nation.

"The honourable chief minister of Tamil Nadu J. Jayalalithaa is no more. She was a very popular leader, darling of masses and a great chief minister and administrator working for underprivileged, people and poor sections of the society. It is an irreparable loss. I pay my homage to her," Kumar told the media here.

"In the funeral of (former) chief minister Jayalalithaa our senior colleague M. Venkaiah Naidu and Pon Radhakrishnan will represent the government of India and pay their respects and homage to the departed leader," he added.

Meanwhile, tributes are being paid to Jayalalithaa at Rajaji Hall in Chennai where her mortal remains have been kept.

Preparations are currently underway at MGR Memorial at Marina beach, Chennai, for her last rites ceremony.

President Pranab Mukherjee and Prime Minister Narendra Modi are travelling to Chennai to pay their last respects to the departed soul.

The Government of India has as a mark of respect to Jayalalithaa announced that the national flag will fly half-mast in the capitals of all states and UTs.

The government has also decided to accord state funeral to the departed leader which will take place at 4.30 p.m. in Chennai.

The 68-year old AIADMK supremo breathed her last at 11:30 p.m. at the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai.

Jayalalithaa, who had suffered a massive cardiac arrest on Sunday evening, was admitted to the hospital on September 22 following complaints of fever and dehydration.