Former Swatantra party MP Ramamoorthy passes away
Former Swatantra Party MP P. Ramamoorthy has passed away at the age of 93 in Virudhunagar district. Known for his historic 1962 contest against K. Kamaraj, he was a notable figure in Tamil Nadu's political history.
Why it matters
The passing of a veteran parliamentarian marks the end of an era for the Swatantra Party and reflects on a significant period of Indian political history.
P. Ramamoorthy , former Member of Parliament representing the now-abolished constituency of Sivakasi, passed away at his residence in Sattur, Virudhunagar district, on Tuesday (September 1, 2026). He was 93. He is survived by his wife, four sons and a daughter. The funeral will take place on Wednesday in Sattur.
During the 1962 Assembly election, when he was a 29-year-old young man, Ramamoorthy shot to fame as he volunteered to take on the then Chief Minister K. Kamaraj, considered invincible. Though he lost in the poll, his decision to contest against Kamaraj received appreciation from his Swatantra Party.
Five years later, the party fielded Ramamoorthy from the Sivakasi Lok Sabha constituency. This time, he was victorious, garnering about 1.94 lakh votes and defeating the nearest rival from the Congress, P. A. Nadar, by 31,600 votes.
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