DMK MLA J Anbazhagan succumbed to COVID-19 in Chennai on Wednesday. The 62-year-old legislator breathed his last at the Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre in the city. He was admitted to the hospital on June 2 after testing positive for coronavirus. The leader passed away on his 62nd birthday.
"Thiru Anbazhagan J, who has been fighting for his life with severe COVID-19 pneumonia rapidly deteriorated early this morning. In spite of full medical support, including mechanical ventilation at our COVID facility, he succumbed to his illness. He was declared dead at 08:05 hours on the 10 of June 2020," a statement by the Dr Rela Institute and Medical Centre said.
On June 2, MLA Anbazhagan presented with severe acute respiratory distress. His COVID-19 PCR test was positive on admission, according to the hospital. When his respiratory distress worsened on high flow oxygen therapy, he was put on ventilator support.
The hospital said, “He was initially getting 90% oxygen on the ventilator, which improved steadily over the next two days to 40%.”
The Chepauk-Thiruvallikeni MLA is said to have contracted the virus while distributing COVID-19 relief measures under the ‘Ondrinaivom Va’ initiative of the DMK.
Health Minister Vijayabaskar had met doctors treating Anbazhagan at the Rela Institute and Medical Centre on June 5. The minister enquired about his health condition. DMK chief MK Stalin had also visited the party’s MLA.
Jayaraman Anbazhagan was a three-time member of the Tamil Nadu Legislative Assembly. In 2001, Anbazhagan was first elected as MLA from the Theagaraya Nagar constituency. He had also served as the MLA from the Chepauk constituency in 2011 and 2016.
He marked a thumping win in the DMK bastion immediately after the late DMK leader M Karunanidhi moved from the Chepauk constituency and contested from the Tiruvarur constituency. Anbazhagan was a district secretary in the party.
In political circles, Anbazhagan was among the fiercest of current DMK chief Stalin's loyalists. When a faction war between brothers MK Stalin and MK Azhagiri threatened to fracture the party, Anbazhagan is said to have stood firmly by Stalin, his long-time friend. One of the earliest DMK members to kick off the party's presence on Twitter, Anbazhagan was well-liked by Karunanidhi as well.
The DMK leader underwent a liver transplant surgery in London around 25 years ago. According to sources, Anbazhagan had other health complications related to liver and kidney.
Anbazhagan graduated from the DB Jain College, Madras University in 1980. He was also a well-known film producer and distributor.
He is survived by his wife and two children.