Actor-turned-politician and Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) founder Vijayakant passed away in Chennai on December 28. He was 71.
He had been admitted to a private hospital for pneumonia.
The death was confirmed shortly after the party issued a statement that he was put on ventilator support after being diagnosed with COVID-19.
Born Vijayaraj in Madurai, he became popular as Vijayakant, a screen name given by M.A. Kaja, director of his first film Inikkum llamai.
He was later called ‘Captain’ following his title role in the film Captain Prabakaran, loosely based on the life of forest brigand Veerappan.
Vijayakant took the political plunge by launching the DMDK and rattled stalwarts M. Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa by emerging as a third force in 2006.
He burst into the political scene by polling an impressive 8.38% vote share as an independent player taking on the alliances led by the mighty DMK and the AIADMK in the 2006 Tamil Nadu Assembly election.
In 2011, the DMDK tied up with the AIADMK and emerged as the second largest party in the Assembly, pushing the DMK to the third spot. Mr. Vijayakant, with 29 MLAs, became the Leader of the Opposition.
The body will be kept at Island Grounds here on Friday from 6 a.m to 1 p.m. for the public to pay respects. The funeral will be held with state honours at the party headquarters in Koyambedu at 4.45 p.m.
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