Karunanidhi, 5-Time Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Dies At 94

Karunanidhi -- five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu who dominated the state's politics for six decades along with arch-rivals MG Ramachandran and later, J Jayalalithaa -- died at a hospital in Chennai this evening. The 94-year-old leader was admitted to the hospital on July 28 after he contracted urinary tract infection and developed a high fever.

"Despite the best possible efforts by our team of doctors and nurses to resuscitate him, he failed to respond," the hospital said in a statement.

On July 29, Mr Karunanidhi's vital signs had weakened triggering huge concern, but the crisis passed within hours. The hospital later called it a "transient setback" and the doctors advised a longer stay, citing "age related overall decline, altered liver function and haematological parameters".