Tamil Nadu politician and former actor Vijayakanth, popularly known as 'Captain,' passed away at the age of 71.
Vijayakanth, leader of the Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) party, had recently battled COVID-19 and was on ventilation support before his demise.
The DMDK party announced his death on social media, stating that he had difficulty breathing due to COVID-19 complications.
Vijayakanth, who founded the DMDK in 2005, was the sole winning candidate for the party in the 2006 Tamil Nadu legislative assembly election.
Despite an initial electoral success, the DMDK faced a decline in the early 2010s.
As a former actor, Vijayakanth earned the nickname 'Captain' from his successful 1991 film "Captain Prabhakaran."
His last rites are scheduled to take place at the party's head office in Chennai.
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin expressed condolences, stating that Vijayakanth's last journey would receive full state honors.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi also mourned Vijayakanth's death, praising his contributions to both the film world and Tamil Nadu's political landscape.
Vijayakanth had been admitted to the hospital last month for pulmonary support, and his last public appearance was on December 14.