<p>Former MLA P Vetrivel, who got his political teeth cut in the Congress under late G K Moopanar and jumped the ship to AIADMK, passed away in Chennai on Thursday after being infected with the novel coronavirus.</p>.<p>Vetrivel, 59, was the treasurer of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) headed by AIADMK rebel T T V Dhinakaran. The former MLA breathed his last at 6.40 pm at the Sri Ramachandra Hospital here due to septic shock. He was receiving treatment after testing positive for Covid-19.</p>.<p>Originally a Congressman, Vetrivel was a staunch loyalist of Moopanar, the party strongman in Tamil Nadu, and had his ears to the ground. From a corporator to a legislator and then to the trusted lieutenant of Dhinakaran, Vetrivel came a long way in politics. He joined AIADMK in the early 2000s.</p>.<p>Vetrivel shot in political limelight in 2015 when he vacated his R K Nagar assembly constituency here to pave the way for J Jayalalithaa to get elected to the House. She had to quit as Chief Minister in September 2014 after a trial court in Bengaluru sentenced her to four years in prison in a disproportionate assets (DA) case.</p>.<p>After the Karnataka High Court acquitted her, she was sworn-in as Chief Minister and got elected to the Assembly from R K Nagar subsequently. </p>.<p>In 2016, Vetrivel was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Perambur constituency here. When Jayalalithaa died in 2016 and her aide V K Sasikala surrendered before the Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru to serve a prison term in the DA case, Vetrivel sided with her nephew Dhinakaran.</p>.<p>He was among the 18 MLAs who were disqualified for owing allegiance to Dhinakaran. Vetrivel contested the 2019 by-elections from Perambur as AMMK nominee but could not win.</p>
<p>Former MLA P Vetrivel, who got his political teeth cut in the Congress under late G K Moopanar and jumped the ship to AIADMK, passed away in Chennai on Thursday after being infected with the novel coronavirus.</p>.<p>Vetrivel, 59, was the treasurer of Amma Makkal Munnetra Kazhagam (AMMK) headed by AIADMK rebel T T V Dhinakaran. The former MLA breathed his last at 6.40 pm at the Sri Ramachandra Hospital here due to septic shock. He was receiving treatment after testing positive for Covid-19.</p>.<p>Originally a Congressman, Vetrivel was a staunch loyalist of Moopanar, the party strongman in Tamil Nadu, and had his ears to the ground. From a corporator to a legislator and then to the trusted lieutenant of Dhinakaran, Vetrivel came a long way in politics. He joined AIADMK in the early 2000s.</p>.<p>Vetrivel shot in political limelight in 2015 when he vacated his R K Nagar assembly constituency here to pave the way for J Jayalalithaa to get elected to the House. She had to quit as Chief Minister in September 2014 after a trial court in Bengaluru sentenced her to four years in prison in a disproportionate assets (DA) case.</p>.<p>After the Karnataka High Court acquitted her, she was sworn-in as Chief Minister and got elected to the Assembly from R K Nagar subsequently. </p>.<p>In 2016, Vetrivel was elected to the Tamil Nadu Assembly from Perambur constituency here. When Jayalalithaa died in 2016 and her aide V K Sasikala surrendered before the Parappana Agrahara prison in Bengaluru to serve a prison term in the DA case, Vetrivel sided with her nephew Dhinakaran.</p>.<p>He was among the 18 MLAs who were disqualified for owing allegiance to Dhinakaran. Vetrivel contested the 2019 by-elections from Perambur as AMMK nominee but could not win.</p>
