DMDK founder-leader and popular yesteryear Tamil actor Vijayakanth who sowed the seeds of hope among his fans, admirers and the people on the possibility of a real alternative to the Dravidian majors, the DMK and AIADMK died on Thursday following illness. He was 71.

Praised as 'Karuppu MGR' (black MGR) by his fans for his generosity, Vijayakanth has been ill and kept a low-profile for the past 4-5 years and his wife Premalatha formally took over the reins of the DMDK on December 14 and she was declared the general secretary at a party meet.