Erode MP and senior MDMK leader A Ganeshamurthi died early this morning at a private hospital in Coimbatore. A police officer confirmed to WhatsNew2Day that the MDMK leader died at a hospital around 5 am.
On Sunday, the 76-year-old leader was taken to a hospital in Erode in critical condition and later shifted to a private hospital in Coimbatore. He received ECHO support.
An MDMK spokesperson said doctors had warned about this possibility in advance. He added, “Vaiko is rushing to Coimbatore. He would reach around 8 am.”
The police suspected a possible suicide attempt.
Ganeshamurthi, a staunch three-time MP who was elected under the DMK banner in 2019, held a prominent position within the MDMK ranks. He was one of the leaders imprisoned under POTA, along with party founder Vaiko.
Recently, the MDMK and the DMK decided to field Vaiko’s son Durai in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.
On Sunday, Vaiko said that after a long discussion, the party’s core team decided to field Durai for the Lok Sabha elections. “There was even an internal poll to decide on both names. We wanted to speak to DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Prime Minister MK Stalin to reward Ganeshamurthi. We also had a seat in mind for him in the parliamentary elections,” he said.