Chennai: Senior DMK leader and the party’s high-level working committee member, A Rahman Khan, passed away on Thursday at a Chennai hospital.
He was 77 and died of heart attack, his family said.
"He was treated at a hospital for a week (recently). He was discharged after he recovered from COVID. This morning he suffered a heart attack and passed away," Khan's son, Dr Subair Khan told reporters.
Announcing his death, a DMK press release said that all party flags will fly half-mast for three days from Thursday and that all party events scheduled for the period would be postponed.
Conveying his condolences to the family members of Khan, DMK president M K Stalin said his speeches have impressed Periyar E V Ramasamy, C N Annadurai and M Karunanidhi, in whose ministry the five time MLA had served as Minister.
Stalin said that Khan wrote extensively to the party organ ‘Murasoli’ and had been in the Dravidian movement since his student days when he took part in the anti-Hindi agitation.
Recalling his last conversation with Khan over a video call, Stalin said that during an online meeting of the high-level working committee, his line snapped suddenly but he made a video call to him and asked him to take care of his health.
When late AIADMK founder leader M G Ramachandran helmed the state as Chief Minister between 1977 and 1987 Khan, alongwith DMK's Duraimurugan and K Subbu were noted for resolutely taking up their party's stand on many matters in the Assembly.
His performance in the House earned him the sobriquet of "Sattamandra Porval" (Assembly sword) from DMK men.
Also, Khan, along with his two other colleagues were hailed as "Idi, Minnal and Mazhai" (Thunderstorm, lightning and rain) by partymen for their oratory, targeting arch rival AIADMK.
He was first elected from Chepauk Assembly constituency in 1977 and won twice more from the same segment in 1980 and 1984.
He emerged victorious from Park Town and Ramanathapuram seats in 1989 and 1996.
Thereafter he lost in 2001 (Ramanathapuram) and 2006 (Park Town) Assembly elections and did not fight polls after that.
Between 1996-2001, as state Minister he held the portfolios of Labour Welfare and Waqf Board, and for sometime Revenue and Law.
