Former Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha and DMK leader Vasanthi Stanley passed away on Saturday evening. She was 56. The leader was reportedly unwell and was admitted to a private hospital in Chennai for her illness. She had represented Tamil Nadu at the Rajya Sabha as DMK MP for six years between 2008 and 2014.

Speaking to reporters after paying his respects to the leader at her home in the city, DMK President MK Stalin said, "I was very shocked hearing the news about the demise of former Rajya Sabha member Vasanthi Stanley. Initially, had been working in government departments like Revenue Department and Trade Tax Department. Even as she was working, she had love for the DMK and Kalaignar(former Chief Minister M Karunanidhi) and submitted herself to the movement. She worked as deputy leader of the Women's Wing of the party. After that, she worked as leader of the Minorities Welfare Wing.”

Vasanthi frequently represented the party on public forums, including speeches on stage and television debates. “She was a poet, writer and an enthusiastic speaker from the party. She was an exemplary woman who would clearly convey the principles and goals of the DMK to the people. She was a warrior of the party. Her loss is not just for her family but to the whole party.” said Stalin.

Vasanthi who hailed from Devakottai in Sivaganga district was born in May 1962. Educated at the Madurai Kamaraj University, Madurai and Dr. Ambedkar Law University in Chennai, Vasanthi joined the DMK in 2007. She had been working as an assistant commissioner of the commercial taxes department in the state before she quit her job to join the party.

During her tenure in the Parliament, she had often become on of DMK's most prominent faces on television. From the beginning of her political career, criminal cases for defaulting loans had continued to plague her.

According to one report in The Hindu, Vasanthi is survived by her son.

Reacting to the leader’s death on Twitter, DMK Rajya Sabha MP M Kanimozhi said, “A friend and party colleague Vasanthy Stanley passed away. She will be missed a lot. A woman full of life and strength. She never gave up. It is a shock to me and the women’s wing that a woman fondly remembered will no longer be with us.”

A friend and party colleague Vasanthy Stanley passed away. She will be missed a lot. A woman full of life and strength. She never gave up. It is a shock to me and the women’s wing that a woman fondly remembered will no longer be with us. pic.twitter.com/pxx8WQe3oi

— Kanimozhi (கனிமொழி) (@KanimozhiDMK) April 28, 2019