AIADMK leader Panneerselvam's wife dead

Chennai: AIADMK coordinator and former Chief Minister O Panneerselvam's wife Vijayalakshmi died here on Wednesday at a hospital following a brief illness.

Leaders cutting across party lines including DMK president and Chief Minister M K Stalin visited the hospital and offered their condolences to Panneerselvam.

She was 66 and died of heart attack at a private hospital, where she was admitted for treatment days ago, party sources said.

Vijayalakshmi had an acute heart attack this morning and despite treatment she passed away, GEM Hospital said in a statement.

The AIADMK leader's wife had an attack when she was set to be discharged on Wednesday as she recovered following 10 days of treatment, the hospital said.

Chief Minister Stalin, Water Resources Minister Duraimurugan, AIADMK co-coordinator K Palaniswami visited the hospital and extended their condolences and sympathies to Panneerselvam and his son O P Raveendranath, who is also the AIADMK Lok Sabha MP from Theni.

V K Sasikala, aide of late Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa and who was eased out of the AIADMK years ago visited Panneerselvam in the hospital and extended her condolences. Her visit is seen as significant since she has been maintaining that she would make a comeback to the AIADMK, which is staunchly opposed by the party brass.

Vijayalakshmi's body has been taken to Panneerselvam's native Periyakulam in Theni district and the funeral would be held there following public homage, sources added.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit offered his condolences to Panneerselvam and to the bereaved family and said he prayed to God to rest her soul in eternal peace and "give strength to all family members to overcome this unfathomable loss." In his condolence message, Stalin said he was shocked and grieved to learn about the demise of Panneerselvam's wife.

Palaniswami said he was anguished to learn of her death.

In a statement, the top AIADMK leader said he prayed to the Almighty to give strength to "my brother Panneerselvam to bear this agony." Extending his condolences to Panneerselvam and his family, the leader of opposition in the state assembly said he prayed for her soul to rest in peace.

Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan was among several others who condoled Vijayalakshmi's death. Tamil Nadu Congress Committee chief K S Alagiri, PMK leader G K Mani, State Secretaries of CPI and CPI(M), R Mutharasan, and K Balakrishnan respectively, VCK chief Thol Thirumavalavan, BJP MLAs Vanathi Srinivasan, M R Gandhi, Dravidar Kazhagam chief K Veeramani visited the hospital and met Panneerselvam to condole his spouse's death.

Former Ministers including S P Velumani and C Vijayabaskar, AIADMK leaders including K P Munusamy were among the party office-bearers who turned up at the hospital. PTI