DMDK founder Vijayakanth.
Credit: PTI Photo
Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) founder and former Tamil actor Vijayakanth passed away on Thursday following illness. He was 71.
He is survived by his wife Premalatha, who now holds the party's reins, and two sons -- Vijaya Prabhakaran and Shanmuga Pandian.
Vijayakanth had been unwell for the past few years and was confined to his home. He got admitted to Chennai's MIOT hospital on December 26 after he was diagnosed with pneumonia and had been on ventilator support.
In a press release, the hospital said: "Captain Vijayakanth was on ventilatory support following his admission for pneumonia. Despite the best efforts of the medical staff he passed away in the morning on 28th December 2023."
Fondly known as ‘Captain’, a sobriquet he earned after he played the role of a daring police officer in his 1991 movie Captain Prabhakaran, Vijayakanth commanded a dedicated fan following among several sections of the society, including the working class, for his film roles fighting for their emancipation.
Vijayakanth displayed the rare guts to challenge the supremacy of Karunanidhi and Jayalalithaa by launching his own party when they were super-active in politics.
An unconventional politician, Vijayakanth, at one point, was considered as a viable alternative to the Dravidian majors – DMK and AIADMK.
Here's a look at his net worth:
As per Vijayakanth's affidavit filed in 2016, when he contested from the Ulundurpettai Assembly seat, his movable assets are pegged to be at Rs 7,60,16,721 (7.6 crore). These include cash, deposits in banks, financial institutions & non-banking financial companies, bonds and shares, motor vehicles, jewellery and other assets such as the value of claims and interests.
His total assets, which also include that of his wife and dependents, stand at Rs 14,79,12,251 (Rs 14.79 crore).
The immovable assets, including agricultural land, non-agricultural land, commercial and residential buildings etc, are worth Rs 19,37,75,500 (Rs 19.37 crore) for him, while it is Rs 17,42,76,600 (Rs 17.42 crore) for his spouse. The total value of the immovable assets, as per affidavit, stands at Rs 38,77,74,100 (Rs 38.77 crore).
His total liabilities are pegged at Rs 14,72,27,523 (Rs 14.72 crore).
(With inputs from DHNS, PTI and myneta.info)