M. Ramanathan, a senior leader of the DMK, who was also a former MLA and MP, passed away at 1.30 a.m. on Friday due to age-related illness. He was 84.
A Member of the Legislative Council from 1971 to 1976 and an MLA for Coimbatore West Assembly constituency in 1984, Mr. Ramanathan also served as MP for Coimbatore from 1996 to 1998. He was also a member of the high-level planning committee of the DMK.
Mr. Ramanathan was known by his sobriquet Kovai Thendral.
Stalin pays homage
DMK president M.K. Stalin paid his respects to Mr. Ramanathan at his residence in Coimbatore on Friday morning.
Many other DMK leaders, including former Union Ministers A. Raja and Subbulakshmi Jagadeesan, and Pongalur N. Palanisamy, the Secular Progressive Alliance candidate for the Sulur byelection, also paid homage to the late leader.
Mr. Ramanathan is survived by his wife Rama Kantham and his three sons.
