Tamil Nadu MP Ganeshamurthi dies of cardiac arrest after suspected suicide bid

Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam’s (MDMK) A Ganeshamurthi, the sitting Lok Sabha MP from Tamil Nadu’s Erode, died on Thursday morning due to cardiac arrest, ANI reported. He was hospitalised on March 24 after an alleged suicide attempt.

The police said, Ganeshamurthi, who was elected on a DMK ticket in the 2019 Lok Sabha polls, developed uneasiness and was admitted to a private hospital in the city on March 24.

After an initial check-up, he was admitted to the ICU and was put on a ventilator, according to PTI. The Lok Sabha MP was later shifted to a private hospital in nearby Coimbatore.

Several politicians including state minister for urban development and housing S Muthusamy, BJP MLA from Modakurichi Dr C Saraswathy, and AIADMK leader K V Ramalingam had rushed to the hospital to enquire about Ganeshamurthi’s health.

Ganeshamurthi, a three-time MP, held prominent positions within the MDMK ranks. He was reportedly upset over the party’s refusal to give him a ticket to contest from the Erode seat in the coming Lok Sabha polls. The DMK has fielded its candidate in Erode and has decided to give the Tiruchy seat to the MDMK. Durai Vaiko, son of MDMK general secretary Vaiko, has been named the party’s candidate from Tiruchy.