Chennai: The ruling AIADMK condoled the deaths of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, DMK president M Karunanidhi and former Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee, hailing their work in their respective fields.
A meeting of the party’s Executive Committe, a key decision-making body, also expressed grief over the deaths of “many hundreds of brothers and sisters” due to the rain fury in neighbouring Kerala and Karnataka.
The party hailed Vajpayee as an “unparalleled star” of Indian politics, and described Karunanidhi as a “veteran” political leader and a “great Tamil scholar.”
It adopted a resolution expressing “deep condolences” over the death of the leaders.
“Vajpayee was an unparalleled star in Indian politics, a standing example to all in Parliamentary work,” it said. Hailing his oratorical skills, the party said he was respected the world over.
Condoling the death of Karunanidhi, leader of its arch rival DMK till recently, the AIADMK said he was a “veteran political leader, a great scholar and former chief minister of Tamil Nadu.”
Paying tribute to Chatterjee, the executive recalled his public work and his efforts for the upliftment of the poor.
“He safeguarded parliamentary democracy,” it added. The party also condoled the deaths of some party workers, including an MLA, who passed away recently.
Chief Minister K Palaniswami, who is party co-coordinator, and deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam, coordinator, among others, attended the meeting.