Actor And DMDK Chief Vijayakant Dies at 71 (image:facebook.com/iVijayakant)

Actor-turned-politician Vijayakant died in Chennai on Thursday.  He was 71. Vijayakant was the founder-leader of Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK).

His death was confirmed by the authorities of the MIOT Hospital where he was admitted for pneumonia and was placed on ventilator support.

“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,” MIOT Hospital wrote in their medical bulletin.

Vijayakant”s party stated in their earlier statement that he experienced difficulty in breathing and tested positive for coronavirus infection. He had been facing health crisis in recent years. His last public appearance was on December 18 where he headed the DMDK’s 18th executive and general council meeting conducted at a private hall in Thiruverkadu. Due to deteriorating health, Vijaykant had handed over the party”s responsibilities to his wife Premalatha, and was announced as party”s general secretary on the same meeting.

The acclaimed Tamil actor was fondly called as “Captain” and was part of over 154 movies before his entry into politics. Vijayakant launched DMDK in September 2005 and presented it as an alternative political platform to the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) and the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK).

In DMDK”s first electoral battle in 2006 Tamil Nadu Assembly elections, it bagged significant number of political seats and emerged as a significant political force. In 2011 Assembly elections, Vijayakant joined hands with AIADMK, and their joined victory lead him to become the Leader of the Opposition. Though DMDK met 2014 Lok Sabha elections under BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) it failed to secure significant outcomes. In the following elections in 2016, 2019 and 2021, his party did not come up with significant results as Vijayakant was facing health issues.