Chennai: Ailing Union Science and Technology Minister and former Maharashtra chief minister Vilasrao Deshmukh was on Monday evening air lifted to Chennai from here after his condition worsened.

Deshmukh had been undergoing treatment at Breach Candy Hospital in Mumbai for the past one week. He had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of liver and both his kidneys were dysfunctional.

His condition had worsened and doctors had to put the minister on life support yesterday, following which a decision was taken to shift him to Chennai in an air ambulance.

Doctors at Chennai’s Global Health City super-speciality hospital say they would carry out liver transplant once Deshmukh’s condition stabilizes.

Currently, the minister on ventilator support.