Chennai, Aug 5 (PTI) AIADMK senior and partys Presidium Chairman, E Madhusudhanan who had been serving the party since its initial days, died due to illness at a city hospital here on Thursday, the party said.

He was not keeping well of late and doctors who treated him said the senior leader's condition deteriorated gradually and he passed away today at 3.42 pm. He was 81.

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A former minister, Madhusudhanan was AIADMK's Presidium Chairman from 2007. His wife Jeeva had predeceased him.

Madhusudhanan had been an ardent fan of AIADMK founder, the late chief minister M G Ramachandran and a loyalist of late CM J Jayalalithaa.

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He was elevated to the post of handlooms and textiles minister during her first tenure as chief minister (1991-96). Following her demise in 2016, he threw his weight behind former Chief Minister and (now) partys coordinator O Panneerselvam.

Announcing his demise, the Apollo Hospitals here said the senior leader was admitted on July 18 with multi-organ dysfunction and sepsis.

"He was treated in critical care unit by multi-disciplinary medical team. Despite all active medical measures, his condition deteriorated gradually and he passed away today," the hospital said in a statement.

Condoling the demise, party's coordinator O Panneerselvam and joint coordinator K Palaniswami said AIADMK would observe a three-day mourning from today and the party flag will be flown half-mast during this period as a mark of respect to him.

In a joint statement here,they said Madhusudhanan who was hailed as Anjanenjan (braveheart) was appointed secretary of MGR Mandram and propaganda secretary of AIADMK after Jayalalithaa became general secretary of the party.

They also recalled that Madhusudhanan had organised MGR Fans clubs in North Chennai.

Tamil Nadu chief minister M K Stalin, Union Minister L Muurgan and Makkal Needhi Maiam (MNM) founder Kamal Haasan also condoled the death of Madhusudhanan.

Stalin said the departed leader was an affable person while Murugan said he was respected across party lines. PTI

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