DMK chief M Karunanidhi was shifted to a hospital in Chennai on Friday night
Ailing DMK chief M Karunanidhi's vital signs have "gradually normalised" but he will continue to remain hospitalised due to age-related overall decline in his general health, liver and blood parameters, the Chennai hospital, where the 94-year-old former Tamil Nadu chief minister is under treatment, said in a statement on Tuesday evening.
In a medical bulletin, Kauvery hospital said the conditions which led to his admission last week had been normalised. "He continues to maintain his vital signs with active medical support," it said.
"(But) an extended period of hospitalisation will be necessary due to age related overall decline in his general health, altered liver function and haematological parameters," Aravindan Selvaraj, executive director of Chennai's Kauvery hospital said in a comprehensive statement.
Widely recognised as one of the tallest political leaders in the country, the country's top politicians have flown down to Chennai over the last few days to enquire about his health in recent days.
Congress president Rahul Gandhi met Mr Karunanidhi's family on Tuesday said it was wonderful to see that the "Tamil fighting spirit that has endeared him to millions, is still strong".
Many of his supporters have been camping outside the hospital for days, many of them reached the capital Chennai from remote corners of the state to pray for the recovery of the politician who is fondly called "kalaignar" - artiste - by his admirers from the days that he was a star in Tamil film industry.
A five-time Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, Mr Karunanidhi was recovering from a long illness when he contracted a urinary tract infection and developed fever. For more than a year, he has not made any public appearance. He was admitted in hospital last on July 18 for a change of tracheostomy tube.
The DMK patriarch was rushed to hospital past Friday midnight after a sudden drop in his blood pressure.
He was "resuscitated and stabilised" in intensive care and managed by a team of doctors and nurses.
The hospital said there "was a setback on his clinical condition" on Sunday due to difficulty in breathing but he has "responded well to medical management".