Senior DMK leader and former minister S P Sarguna Pandian died here today following an illness.
The 75-year-old Deputy General Secretary of DMK passed away early this morning, a party release said.
She is survived by her two sons. Her husband had predeceased her.
Party President M Karunanidhi said Pandian, who was the Social Welfare Minister during 1996-2001, had spoken in DMK stage meetings even as a young woman and had later grown through the party ranks.
In his condolence message, he said she had represented DMK twice from Dr Radhakrishnan Nagar constituency in the city in 1989 and 1996.
Party Treasurer and Opposition Leader in the Tamil Nadu Assembly M K Stalin paid tributes to Pandian.
Meanwhile, the party high command announced that DMK flags would fly at half mast for three days and asked the functionaries to postpone all party works during this time.
(REOPEN MES 4)
Expelled AIADMK leader and former Chief Minister O
Panneerselvam also expressed concern over "people suffering from non-availability" of essential commodities and urged the government to address the matter.
Meanwhile, Chief Minister K Palaniswami assured that the government "is taking all steps" to provide essential commodities through state-run fair price shops.
"In fact, we have ordered procurement of about 20,000 tonnes of pulses while palmolein is also being procured," he said.
School Education Minister K A Sengottaiyan slammed DMK for today's protests and accused the opposition party with trying to find faults with the AIADMK government.
