Karuna’s condition worsens and then improves somewhat

Thousands of supporters gathered outside Chennai’s Kauvery hospital on Sunday night as ailing DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s condition, sources said, took a turn for the worse. But in a late night statement, the hospital said his situation has stabilised. Calling it a “transient setback”, the hospital said Karunanidhi’s condition is improving.

The veteran leader’s family is already at the hospital, where he was admitted on Friday. Chief Minister E Palaniswami has cut short his tour to Salem and is heading for Chennai.

In a photograph released by his party this morning, the 95-year-old was seen for the first time since his hospitalisation. Karunanidhi, who is suffering from urinary tract infection, got a visit on Sunday from vice president Venkaiah Naidu. In the photograph with Naidu, he appears to be sleeping. The DMK patriarch was better, his family had said on Saturday. A statement from the hospital also confirmed that his blood pressure has stabilised and that he was under close monitoring. It, however, said nothing about the status of the infection.

Karunanidhi, a five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, was recovering from a long illness when he contracted the infection and developed a fever. For more than a year, he has not made any public appearance except for occasional visits to his party office and waving at supporters from his home.

He was admitted in hospital last on July 18 for a change of tracheostomy tube.

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