The Hindu : Karunanidhi taken ill

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Apr 27, 2003

Southern States

Southern States - Tamil Nadu

Karunanidhi taken ill

By Our Staff Reporter

The DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, getting into a car after he was discharged from a private hospital in Coimbatore, where he had been admitted to on Saturday for uneasiness. — Photo: K. Ananthan

COIMBATORE April 26. The DMK president, M. Karunanidhi, was taken ill, during a function got up here for the release of his book, Tholkaapiya Poonga, today. After a long series of felicitations which began at 10.30 a.m., Mr. Karunanidhi was barely five minutes into his acceptance speech around 1.30, when he complained of uneasiness, experienced profuse sweating and appeared to slump in his chair.

The DMK chief had been uneasy even during the speech by poet Vali. However, he continued to attend the meeting, stating he felt better. But, it was said, the long wait in a hall, which was packed beyond capacity, rendered air-conditioning ineffective, and took a toll on his health.

During the second bout of uneasiness, Mr. Karunanidhi was swiftly carried to a waiting vehicle and admitted to the K.G. Hospital. He was diagnosed as having suffered from low blood pressure and exhaustion. However, an ECG test cleared him of any major complication.

G. Bakthavathsalam, chairman of the hospital, told presspersons that Mr. Karunanidhi recovered quickly after he was given intravenous fluids and he even had curd rice for lunch around 3 p.m. The test revealed that Mr. Karunanidhi's health was stable. A team of four cardiologists was formed to monitor him.

After a final ECG test around 4.30 p.m., he was discharged.

The Union Minister for Environment and Forests, T.R. Baalu; and the former DMK Ministers, Durai Murugan and Pongalur N. Palanisamy, who were at the hospital, briefed the media separately on the circumstances in which their party chief was taken ill and also on the tests done. While Mr. Palanisamy said Mr. Karunanidhi experienced giddiness, Mr. Durai Murugan said "he was only slightly indisposed".

Quoting sources close to Mr. Karuananidhi, hospital authorities said the he had a stomach ailment yesterday and consequently had not taken sufficient food since then. This, it is stated, might also have contributed to exhaustion.

The Prime Minister's Office and the Union Minister of State for Health, D. Raja, enquired about Mr. Karunanidhi's health over telephone, said Dr. Bakthavathsalam.

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