Congress Legislature Party leader in Tamil Nadu Assembly D. Sudarssanam died of multiple organ failure at a private hospital here on Saturday night, party sources said. He was 68 and is survived by two sons.
The veteran Congress leader breathed his last at around 10.15 p.m, they said.
Sudarssanam had come here to participate in the ongoing World Classical Tamil Conference. He fell ill in the wee hours on Friday following which he was admitted to Kovai Medical Centre and was on ventilation support.
Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who visited him in the hospital on Friday, had made arrangements for medical specialists from Chennai and Hyderabad for his treatment.
Sudarssanam, elected from Poonamallee constituency, became the CLP leader after 2006 Assembly polls. He had been a member of the Assembly from 1991 representing Tiruvallur and Poonamallee constituencies.
Sudarssanam, a confidant of senior Congress leader late G. K. Moopanar, sided with him when he floated Tamil Maanila Congress in 1996. He was made treasurer of the new party till it merged with Congress in 1999.
Sudarssanam was treasurer of the TNCC, a post he held till his death.
Family source said the body would be brought to Chennai on Sunday.
Sonia condoles death
Meanwhile, Congress President Sonia Gandhi has condoled the death of Sudarssanam.
In a message to TNCC President K. V. Thangkabalu, she said Sudarssanam was “a simple man and a disciplined worker. As Congress Legislature Party leader, he brought laurels to the party”.
Union Health Minister and AICC General Secretary in charge of Tamil Nadu, Ghulam Nabi Azad and Political Secretary to Sonia Gandhi, Ahmed Patel also condoled his demise.
Mr. Thangkabalu told PTI the party would observe a three-day mourning from Sunday as a tribute to the departed leader and party flags would remain half mast.
In the death of Sudarssanam, “Congress has lost a disciplined soldier and a person liked by one and all. It is a personal loss to me as Sudarsanam was my friend for the last 40 years”, the TNCC president said.
