TN CM Palaniswami bereaved, mother passes away

Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, Stalin and Tamil superstar Rajinikanth were among those who spoke to the chief minister over the phone and extended their condolences. Panneerselvam, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, and all other Ministers (barring Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu who was indisposed) officials including Chief Secretary K Shanmugam, DGP J K Tripathi, and government secretaries reached Salem later in the day.

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and AIADMK co-coordinator K Palaniswami's mother Davusayammal died of heart attack in the early hours of Tuesday in Salem. She was 93 and passed away at a private hospital in the western city of Tamil Nadu.

She is survived by two sons including Palaniswami and a daughter. The nonagenarian, admitted to hospital due to age related illness died of heart attack in the wee hours and immediately, Palaniswami set out for his home district Salem by car from here.

The body was brought to the CM's residence at Siluvampalayam village near Edappadi in Salem district from the hospital. On reaching home, Palaniswami was moved to tears and paid his last respects to his mother.

As per customs, his elder brother K Govindarajan performed the last rites, government sources said. The Chief Minister's father V Karuppa Gounder passed away in 2004.

Local people, State Ministers S P Velumani, P Thangamani, K A Sengottaiyan, K C Karuppannan, M R Vijayabaskar, V Saroja and K T Rajenthra Bhalaji, AIADMK leaders including deputy co-ordinator K P Munusamy were among those who paid homage and took part in the cremation. Later, in a procession, the body was taken in a hearse decked with flowers and garlands to the village burial ground and cremated.

Governor Banwarilal Purohit, Deputy Chief Minister O Panneerselvam, DMK chief M K Stalin, BJP state unit president L Murugan, PMK founder leader S Ramadoss, DMDK general secretary Vijayakanth and Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi top leader Thol Thirumavalavan were among those who condoled her death. Telangana Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan, Stalin and Tamil superstar Rajinikanth were among those who spoke to the chief minister over the phone and extended their condolences.

Panneerselvam, Fisheries Minister D Jayakumar, and all other Ministers (barring Agriculture Minister R Doraikannu who was indisposed) officials including Chief Secretary K Shanmugam, DGP J K Tripathi, and government secretaries reached Salem later in the day. They paid floral tributes to a portrait of Palaniswami's mother at his residence and conveyed their condolences to the chief minister.

Extending his condolences, Purohit said: "The passing away of mother who had nurtured right from birth with her unconditional love and sacrifices is an irreparable loss. I pray to Almighty God to rest her soul forever in eternal peace and give strength to Thiru K Palaniswami and his family to overcome this unfathomable loss." The chief minister's official programmes have been cancelled for a couple of days.