Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam Working President MK Stalin on Monday said his father and party chief M Karunanidhi’s health had been improving and that his condition was being constantly monitored by doctors. “Kalaignar [Karunanidhi] will meet party men if doctors have him the permission,” Stalin told Puthiya Thalaimurai TV.

Karunanidhi celebrates his 93rd birthday on June 3 and may meet party cadres that day, Stalin said.

In October 2016, Karunanidhi was diagnosed with an allergy caused by medicines he had been taking. He had been discharged from Chennai’s Kauvery hospital on December 23 and has been recuperating at home since. He has not made any public appearances since October last year.

The DMK General Council was scheduled to meet on December 20 last year, however it was cancelled due to Karunanidhi’s ill health. The meeting was then held in January in which Stalin was announced the working president.

Speculation about his health has been rife, especially after the death of his rival, the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam chief and former Chief Minister, J Jayalalithaa.