DMDK founder-leader and popular yesteryear Tamil actor Vijayakanth who sowed the seeds of hope among his fans, admirers and the people on the possibility of a real alternative to the Dravidian majors, the DMK and AIADMK died here on Thursday following illness.

He was 71.

Praised as 'Karuppu MGR' (black MGR) by his fans for his generosity, Vijayakanth has been ill and kept a low-profile for the past 4-5 years and his wife Premalatha formally took over the reins of the DMDK on December 14 and she was declared the general secretary at a party meet here.

MIOT International hospital said in a press release: "Captain Vijayakanth was on ventilatory support following his admission for pneumonia. Despite the best efforts of the medical staff he passed away in the morning on 28th December 2023." Vijayakanth allied with the AIADMK in the 2011 Assembly elections and the Jayalalithaa-led bloc won the polls and the DMDK founder went on to become the Leader of the Opposition.

His verbal duel with Jayalalithaa in the Assembly took the state by storm and he appeared all set to take on the powers-that-be and break down the hegemony of the Dravidian parties, that have held sway for over half a century in Tamil Nadu's political landscape.

While the party statement had said that Vijayakanth had tested positive for coronavirus and was under ventilator, the hospital bulletin said he battled pneumonia. Hospital sources said the party issued that statement even before the results for the second round of samples were available.

PM Modi condoles Vijayakanth's death

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday condoled the passing away of DMDK founder-leader Vijayakanth and said his death has left a void that will be hard to fill.

In a post on X, Modi said: "Extremely saddened by the passing away of Thiru Vijayakanth Ji. A legend of the Tamil film world, his charismatic performances captured the hearts of millions." As a political leader, the Prime Minister said Vijayakanth was deeply committed to public service, and has left a lasting impact on Tamil Nadu’s political landscape.

"His passing leaves a void that will be hard to fill. He was a close friend and I fondly recall my interactions with him over the years. In this sad hour, my thoughts are with his family, fans and numerous followers. Om Shanti."