R. Sivaraman

{{Short description|Indian politician}}

{{use dmy dates|date=May 2017}}

{{use Indian English|date=May 2017}}

R. Sivaraman (died 2007) was an Indian politician and a Member of the Legislative Assembly. He was elected to the Tamil Nadu legislative assembly as a Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) candidate from Tiruppattur (194) constituency in the 1996 election.{{cite web|publisher=Election Commission of India |page=9 |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1996/StatisticalReport-TN96.pdf |title=Statistical Report on General Election 1996 for the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu |accessdate=2017-05-06 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20101007221700/http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_1996/StatisticalReport-TN96.pdf |archivedate=7 October 2010 }}

Sivaraman contested the Tiruppattur constituency again in 2001, when he was runner-up to K. K. Umadhevan of the All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam.{{cite web |publisher=Election Commission of India |page=296 |url=http://eci.nic.in/eci_main/StatisticalReports/SE_2001/Stat_Rep_TN_2001.pdf |title=Statistical Report on General Election 2001 for the Legislative Assembly of Tamil Nadu |accessdate=2017-05-06}}

In May 2003, Sivaraman, who was a close friend of M. K. Azhagiri, the son of DMK party leader Karunanidhi, came under suspicion when Azhagiri was charged with conspiracy in the murder of Tha. Kiruttinan, a former minister and senior figure in the party. He was taken into protective custody for a while because police were concerned about possible violence following their arrest of Azhagiri. Subsequently, he was conditionally bailed.{{cite news |work=Zeenews |title=Azhagiri's associate granted conditional bail |date=30 May 2003 |url=http://zeenews.india.com/home/azhagiris-associate-granted-conditional-bail_101809.html |accessdate=2017-05-15}}

Supporters of Sivaraman were initially unhappy when the DMK decided not to let him run for the Tiruppattur seat in 2006. They were placated when he was given the opportunity to stand instead for the Sivaganga constituency.{{cite news |work=The Hindu |title=Tirupattur heading for a photo-finish |date=6 May 2006 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/tirupattur-heading-for-a-photofinish/article3129407.ece |accessdate=2017-05-15}}

More violent incidents with which Sivaraman, who owned a stone quarry, became associated occurred in 2007. In February, he was arrested on an allegation of hiring a group of henchmen to damage the offices of a business rival and attack staff there.{{cite news |work=OneIndia |title=Business rivalry: vandalism case against ex-DMK MLA |date=13 February 2007 |url=http://www.oneindia.com/2007/02/13/business-rivalry-vandalism-case-against-ex-dmk-mla-1171384549.html |accessdate=2017-05-15}} Then, in June, an explosion that resulted in many injuries and two deaths, including that of P. Murugan, was considered by police to involve a dispute between a faction within the DMK led by Sivaraman and another led by K. R. Periyakaruppan. Murugan was of Sivaraman's group.{{cite news |work=Rediff |title=TN: Municipal chairman killed in blast |date=29 June 2007 |url=http://www.rediff.com/news/2007/jun/29blast.htm |accessdate=2017-05-15}}

Sivaraman died in hospital, aged 46, on 8 July 2007. He was survived by his wife and two children.{{cite news |work=The Hindu |title=Former MLA dead |date=9 July 2007 |url=http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-tamilnadu/Former-MLA-dead/article14790556.ece |accessdate=2017-05-15}}