India lost a great son who strode Tamil pol like a colossus for 6 decades: Rahul on Karunanidhi

Congress president Rahul Gandhi today condoled the demise of DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi and said he strode the stage of Tamil politics like a colossus for six decades.

The Congress leader said that in his passing, India has lost a "great son".

Gandhi would be travelling to Chennai tomorrow, along with other senior Congress leaders, to pay homage to the DMK patriarch and participate in the last rites.

"Loved by the Tamilian people, Kalaignar strode the stage of Tamil politics, like a colossus, for over 6 decades. In his passing, India has lost a great son. My condolences to his family as also to the millions of Indians who grieve for their beloved leader tonight," he said on Twitter.

DMK chief M Karunanidhi, one of the foremost Dravidian politicians in modern times, died here today, after waging a grim battle for life aged 94, the hospital where he was admitted for the last 11 days said.

One of the most charismatic figures of Tamil Nadu politics whose public life spanned over seven decades, is survived by two wives and six children, including DMK working president and heir apparent M K Stalin and daughter Kanimozhi, a Rajya Sabha MP.

The most enduring mascot of the Dravidian movement breathed his last at 6.10 pm, the hospital said.