7 time MLA Ponnammal no more

Seven time MLA A S Ponnammal, who hit the headlines last month after Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi rang her up and enquired about her health, died of cancer at the Government Rajaji hospital here today.
She was 89 and was being treated for the disease for some time, doctors said.
Ponnammal was a popular Congress MLA known for her simplicity and colloquial style of oration in the state assembly.
She was MLA from 1957-1967, 1984; 1989, 1991 and 1996. Except in 1996 when she won as Tamil Maanila Congress candidate, she was Congress MLA.
On Oct 28, Rahul Gandhi had called up the hospitalised legislator, enquired about her health and promised her all help.

"Rahul told me that he was willing to get me admitted to Kamala Nehru hospital in Allahabad. However, I told him that the facility here was good. He also spoke with doctors over my health" the Congress party had quoted Ponnammal as saying.

Condoling her death, TNCC President E V K S Elangovan hailed her contribution to the party.
"Hailing from the Dalit community, Ponnammal had dedicated her entire life for the growth of Congress. She was popular cutting across party lines and was affectionately addressed as Ponnammal Akka (elder sister)," he said.
Her demise was an irreparable loss to the party, he said in a statement, while recalling she had served seven terms as MLA of Nilakottai, Sholavandan and Palani over a period of 35 years.