Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Congress president Rahul Gandhi were among a string of politicians who took to Twitter to grieve the death of DMK leader M Karunanidhi on Tuesday. Narendra Modi called the maverick politician a deep-rooted mass leader, prolific thinker and an accomplished writer. Rahul said India has lost a great son and that Kalaignar strode the stage of Tamil politics.

DMK stalwart M Karunanidhi passed away on Tuesday at the age of 94. Karunanidhi died at Chennai’s Kauvery hospital after prolonged illness. Karunanidhi’s career spanned from being a scriptwriter to a seasoned politician who would be the chief minister of Tamil Nadu five times.