There is a slight improvement in DMK chief M Karunanidhi’s health, his son MK Stalin said in Chennai on Friday.

“His fever and infection has reduced ,” DMK working president Stalin said.

Earlier politicians cutting across party lines visited Karunannidhi at his Gopalapuram home in Tamil Nadu’s capital Chennai.

Hundreds of supporters of the 94-year-old leader too gathered outside his home amid prayer and high emotion on Friday.

Doctors said the former chief minister is being treated for a urinary tract infection (UTI) and other geriatric complaints. A team of doctors from Chennai’s Kauvery Hospital is attending to him round the clock.

Karunanidhi has been unwell for some time now with age-related health problems and has largely been confined to his home since late 2016. His tracheotomy tube was replaced last week.

His older son MK Azaghiri drove down from Madurai to Chennai on Thursday night, while his daughter MK Kanimozhi, who is a member of Parliament, flew in from Delhi in the morning. His other son and political heir MK Stalin too has been at the leader’s Gopalapuram home since early morning.

“Spoke to thiru M K Stalin and Kanimozhi ji. Enquired about the health of Kalaignar and offered my assistance required. I pray for quick recovery and good health,” Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted.

Karunanidhi is called Kalaignar for his artistic script writing skills.

Among those who visited Karunanidhi’s home were Tamil Nadu’s deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and several state ministers from the DMK’s arch rival AIADMK, in a gesture seen as rare in the personality-driven politics of the state.

They met Stalin, who is also the DMK’s working president, and enquired about the medical support being given to the Dravidian leader.

“I was briefed that DMK leader Karunanidhi is fine by deputy chief minister O Panneerselvam and I pray for his speedy recovery,” chief minister Edappadi K Palaniswami told reporters at Salem.

“Karunanidhi is fine. He will recover soon. We came here as part of political courtesy. MK Stalin visited Apollo Hospital when Amma (Jayalalithaa) was hospitalised,” said state minister for fisheries D Jayakumar, after visiting Gopalapuram on Thursday night.

Tamil Nadu police have instructed officials to be alert and security has been tightened in the state capital as leaders and DMK cadres thronged Gopalapuram.

Police are cautions and ensuring that there are no law and order issues as thousands of supporters are known to visit the capital to pay their respects after the death of their favourite political leaders.

Extra police were deployed in Tamil Nadu after former chief minister Jayalalithaa died amid fears of unrest among her supporters, many of whom called her “Amma” (mother), in December 2016.

Schools and offices are open and there was no disruption to normal life.