A day after she was hospitalised in an unconscious state, DMK legislator Poongothai Aladi Aruna dismissed reports that she attempted to take her own life. The Alangulam MLA from Tenkasi district said in a Facebook post that she fainted due to low haemoglobin and low sugar. She further added that CT scans were taken of her brain and stomach and that she was given the necessary treatment. The MLA stated that she was distressed to hear that there were reports of her allegedly trying to die by suicide.
This came at a time when a video of her dispute with party members led to allegations of an internal tussle within the DMK. For this, the legislator said that she experienced the same affection from DMK Chief MK Stalin that she had received from M Karunanidhi, who had made her a minister. She further recalled how the former party chief had treated her like a daughter. She pointed out that she had grown within the party under MK Stalin.
Poongathai was made the state Social Welfare Minister by the late Chief Minister and former DMK patriarch M Karunanidhi and then the Information Technology Minister during the DMK-led Tamil Nadu government from 2009-11.
She is currently admitted to Apollo Hospital in Chennai. The MLA requested that a bad name shouldn't be brought to the party that helped her and father grow. She further asked that rumours about her illness not be spread.
Soon after her hospitalisation, reports emerged that she allegedly overdosed on sleeping pills over an internal party dispute. Sources in the DMK told TNM that the legislator was angry that her brother was allowed on stage at a party event while she wasn't. Videos further emerged of her having arguments with party members and even falling at their feet, while they accused her of creating problems.