One of the oldest and experienced politicians of the country, K Anbazhagan who had served as DMK's General Secretary for 43 years, passed away in Chennai earlier today at the age of 97. He breathed his last at the Apollo Hospitals in Chennai after being admitted due to prolonged illness.

Starting from 1977, the veteran politician was the General Secretary of DMK nine times and was a nine-time MLA, a Lok Sabha member once, a former finance minister of Tamil Nadu and had been a very close friend of the late former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi.

He had worked as a lecturer at the Pachayappa college from 1944 -1957, and had been fondly referred to as Perasiriyar by followers. Following Anbazhagan's sudden demise, DMK President MK Stalin released a statement expressing his condolences and also announced the postponement of DMK party functions for a week and that DMK flags will fly half-mast for a week.