Tamil Nadu Agriculture minister, who had Covid-19, passes away at 72

Tamil Nadu Agriculture Minister R Doraikkannu, who hailed from the Cauvery Delta region, passed away on Saturday after being infected with the novel coronavirus. He was 72.

Doraikkannu, a three-time legislator from Papanasam assembly constituency in Thanjavur district, breathed his last at 11.15 pm at Kauvery Hospital, where he was receiving treatment since October 13.

The minister complained of breathlessness on his way to Salem to pay last respects to the mother of Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and was immediately rushed to the Government Medical College Hospital in Villupuram on October 13. He was shifted to the private hospital here the same day.

“With deep grief, we announce the sad demise of the Honourable Minister for Agriculture, Thiru. R. Doraikkannu on 31.10.2020 at 11.15 pm. Our thoughts and prayers are with the grieving family during this difficult period,” Dr Aravindan Selvaraj Executive Director, Kauvery Hospital, said in a statement.

The minister had tested positive for Covid-19 after being admitted to the hospital and his health condition deteriorated due to co-morbid conditions. The hospital had on October 25 said that he had multiple co-morbidities and his CT scan showed 90 per cent lung involvement.

Born in 1948, Doraikkannu was first elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Papanasam constituency in 2006 and won subsequent elections in 2011 and 2016 from the same segment.

In 2016, he made to the J Jayalalithaa cabinet after the AIADMK retained power in the assembly elections and was appointed as Agriculture Minister.

Doraikkannu is the latest VIP to succumb to Covid-19 in Tamil Nadu. DMK MLA J Anbazhagan, former MLA P Vetrivel, and legendary singer S P Balasubrahmanyam also lost their lives after being infected with the novel Coronavirus.

Chief Minister Edappadi K Palaniswami and his cabinet colleagues paid floral tributes to Doraikkannu's portrait on Sunday morning after which the mortal remains were taken to his native village in Thanjavur district. Deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and a host of his cabinet colleagues represented the state government at Doraikkannu's funeral.

While Palaniswami and Panneerselvam termed Doraikkannu's death as “loss to the AIADMK and the state”, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the departed leader had made noteworthy efforts to “serve society and empower the farmers.”