SALEM: Former DMK MLA Veerapandi A Raja alias A Rajendran (59) passed away due to cardiac arrest on his birth anniversary on Saturday. He was the younger son of DMK former minister Veerapandi A Arumugam.
Chief Minister MK Stalin expressed his condolences on his demise. Raja was the secretary of DMK’s election working committee. On October 2, while party members had gathered in front of his house for his birthday celebrations, Raja fainted. He was taken to a hospital where doctors declared him dead.
Ministers KN Nehru, Palanivel Thiagarajan, MRK Panneerselvam, Ponmudi, EV Velu, MP Saminathan, M Mathivendhan, Anbil Mahesh Poyyamozhi and party cadre paid respects. Raja has been a DMK member since 1982. He was a member of the party’s executive committee, general committee and had served as a youth organiser for the party in Salem. He was elected as MLA from Veerapandi Assembly constituency in 2006.