Speaker Karthikeyan critical

Bengaluru: Assembly Speaker G Karthikeyan, who is undergoing treatment for liver cancer, is in a critical condition, hospital authorities said here Tuesday.

"Karthikeyan, who has been admitted to HCG Cancer Centre for the treatment of Hepato Cellular Cancer (liver cancer), is currently in a critical condition," hospital spokesman Shouvik Chakraborty told PTI.

In October last year, Karthikeyan sought expert treatment at the US-based Mayo Clinic and after a week he returned and was convalescing in Kerala. He had not taken part in the Kerala Assembly session held in December.

"Karthikeyan is due to undergo Cyberknife-Whole Body Robotic Radio Surgery, which will be performed by Dr P S Sridhar, who is radiation oncology consultant," Chakraborty said.

A press note issued by the Director, Healthcare Services, Dinesh Madhavan, said, "a multi-disciplinary team of Oncologists and Gastroenterologists are working round the clock to ensure that he is on the road to recovery."

The 66-year-old veteran Congress leader has been in politics from his student days and was cabinet minister twice.