Chennai: Two time Rajya Sabha member form Tamilnadu and senior Tamil Maanila Congress (TMC) leader
B S Gnandesikan died here at a private hospital today following a massive heart attack. He was 71. Leaders cutting across party lines have condoled his death.
Gnanadesikan, who was senior vice-president of TMC, is survived by wife and two sons. He was admitted to Apollo Hospital on 11 November last year
and had tested positive for corona.
Gnanadesikan, who had underwent a heart surgery in the past, had infections in the lung and was recovering well.
However, he suffered a massive cardiac arrest yesterday morning and was put on ventilator support. As his condition became serious, TMC president G K Vasan him at the hospital last evening.
But he breathed his last today despite best of treatment, hospital sources said.
A staunch supporter of late Congress stalwart G K Moopanar, Gnanadesikan had also served as the former president of the Tamilnadu Congress Committee (TNCC) from 2009 to 2013.
A renowned advocate, Gnanadesikan threw his weight behind Moopanar, when he quit the Congress and formed the TMC in 1996, opposing Congress’ alliance with the AIADMK.
After Moopanar’s death in 2002, his son and former Union Shipping Minister G K Vasan led the party.
Later, the TMC was merged with Congress from 2002 to 2014.
After Vasan’s expulsion in November 2014, Vasan revived the TMC and had been heading it since then.
Vasan, senior Congress leaders, Pududhcerry Chief Minister V Narayanasamy and leaders of various political parties condoled the death of Gnanadesikan and said he was a very soft spoken person, who would always have cordial ties even
with the other party leaders.
Vasan said Gnanadesikan reflected the views of the
people of Tamilnadu in the Parliament and offered his heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family members. He also said his death was a big loss to the TMC.
