Congress stalwart and former Kerala chief minister K Karunakaran was on Thursday admitted to a private hospital here in a serious condition with fever and breathing problems but showed slight improvement and was responding to the treatment, doctors said.

“He was in a highly critical condition when brought to the hospital. But by afternoon, he began responding to medicines. He opened his eyes and seems to have recognised daughter Padmaja,” an attending doctor told reporters.

Home Minister Kodiyeri Balakrishnan,

who called on the ailing leader, said the services of more experts would be made available to attend on Karunakaran, if

necessary.

Karunakaran, 91, had five stints as CM since 1977. He had also served as the Union industries minister in the Narasimha Rao government. Now a permanent invitee to the Congress Working Committee, he served as a member of the party's highest decision making body for several years.