Erode MP dies by suicide, Vaiko denies ticket denial was reason

Erode MP A Ganeshamurthi, who allegedly attempted suicide recently, died at a Coimbatore hospital on Thursday morning, sources from his party Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam and the police said.

Expressing shock and grief over his demise, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M K Stalin said Ganeshamurthi started his political journey in the DMK and effectively discharged his responsibilities in various capacities, including the post of district secretary. Later, he traversed the political path along with Vaiko (the MDMK chief).

”His loss has given an inexpressible grief. He was an energetic diplomat. I offer my deepest condolences and sympathies to the members of the DMK, MDMK, his family and friends,” Stalin said in a statement.

Vaiko expressed shock over the sudden demise and said he called on Ganeshamurthi's son Kapilan and daughter Tamilpiriya and conveyed his condolences.

According to police, the 77-year-old Ganeshamurthi had allegedly tried to kill himself after consuming some poisonous tablets on March 24 at his home in Erode. He was rushed to a hospital in the city and later referred to another private institute in Coimbatore.

The Erode Town police has already registered an attempt to suicide case. This will now be altered to a death by suicide case. Hospital authorities handed the body to the police who took it to the Institute of Road Transport (IRT) Medical College Hospital for autopsy.

After the post-mortem, the body will be taken to Kumaravalasu village, 15 km from Erode, where it will be buried, party sources said.

Ganeshamurthi was elected as an MP on the DMK's Rising Sun symbol in 2019. He had previously won the Lok Sabha polls from Palani in 1998 and Erode in 2009.

A widower, Ganesamurthi is survived by a son and a daughter.

”He was a brave and determined leader. There's no iota of truth that Ganeshamurthi made a suicide attempt over not getting a seat to contest Lok Sabha election again,” Vaiko said while speaking to reporters in Coimbatore.

Recalling his association with the departed leader since his college days in Chennai, Vaiko said both worked hard to develop the party (then DMK).

”The struggles during the student union days are still vivid in my mind. .. he was in charge of Erode district of DMK and later joined hands with me to launch the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam,” the MDMK chief said.

He had served as party treasurer, and was an MLA and MP too, Vaiko said, and added that both of them were incarcerated when they were detained under the POTA.

In a statement, Vaiko said that from his inquiries with the doctors who were treating Ganeshamurthi, he had hoped that the MP would survive. But fate willed otherwise, he

AIADMK general secretary Edappadi K Palaniswai said he was saddened to hear the news of the death of the Erode MP.

BJP state chief K Annamalai too condoled Ganeshamurthi’s death.