Panneerselvam’s wife dies of heart attack
AIADMK coordinator and former Deputy 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.
Vijayalakshmi Panneerselvam (66), wife of AIADMK coordinator and former chief minister O Panneerselvam, died of a massive cardiac arrest here on Wednesday morning. Vijayalakshmi was undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Perungudi for a few days and her body is taken to native Periakulam, where the last rites are planned on Thursday.
“Vijayalakhsmi was under treatment for the past couple of days and recovered well.
But on Wednesday, the patient complained of chest congestion and died due to cardiac arrest despite our medical team attending to her,” Dr Ashokan, chief executive officer, Gem Hospital said in a statement.
Chief Minister MK Stalin, state Ministers Duraimurugan, Ma Subramanian, Thangam Thennarasu, PK Sekar Babu, Lyricist Vairamuthu, Dravidar Kazhagam leader K Veeramani met bereaving OPS and expressed their condolence.
In an unusual political turn of events, ousted AIADMK
leader VK Sasikala also called on grieving OPS. AIADMK leader OPS and Sasikala both broke down while seeing each other. Sasikala comforted OPS by holding his hands. The entire rank and file in the AIADMK camp led by the leader of the Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami stayed at the hospital expressing their condolence.
The AIADMK MLAs signed the Assembly registry and left to console their party leader OPS. The Opposition AIADMK also suspended all party activities and several AIADMK legislators also left to Theni to participate in the final rites.
Leader of Opposition Edappadi K Palaniswami in an emotional condolence message expressed shock and grievance over the sudden demise of Vijayalakshmi. “Anniyar (elder brother’s wife) was always affectionate towards me whenever I visited brother OPS. I pray to the almighty to give strength and energy for my brother OPS to overcome this great loss,” he said. EPS and a few AIADMK leaders were absent when Sasikala arrived to console OPS.
VCK leader Thol Thirumavalavan, Naam Tamilar Katchi founder Seeman, CPI leader R Mutharasan, BJP state president K Annamalai and Chepauk-Triplicane MLA Udhayanidhi Stalin were among those who expressed condolence to OPS and his family. AIADMK MP and elder son of OPS Raveendranath and AIADMK youth wing functionary Jayapradeep, second son of OPS, were seen fighting tears by the side of their deceased mother Vijayalakshmi.