MI Shanavas, Kerala Congress Working President, Dies

MI Shanavas, 67, had survived from cancer a few years ago, but cancer had recently spread to his liver.

Updated on: 21 November 2018 10:52 am

Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) working president MI Shanavas died on Wednesday following complications caused due to a liver transplant.

Shanavas, a Member of Parliament (MP) from Wayanad constituency was admitted in a private hospital in Chennai. The 67-year-old leader had survived from cancer a few years ago, but cancer had recently spread to his liver.

Shanavas, who had been the member of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee since 1983, was elected to the Lok Sabha for consecutive two terms-2009 and 2014.

He is survived by his wife and two daughters.

Congress leader from Kerala, Shashi Tharoor in a tweet termed Shanavas' demise as a "painfull loss."

Mourning the loss of my LokSabha colleague MI Shanavas of Wayanad. He was ailing for some time. A man of good heart & spirit, I last saw him on his appointment as one of @INCKerala’s Working Presidents. A painful loss for all of us. My thoughts & prayers are with his family. pic.twitter.com/c2k1O6WN9c
— Shashi Tharoor (@ShashiTharoor) November 21, 2018

"The party has lost a stalwart. I have lost a dear brother," Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly Ramesh Chennithala said.

"His body will be brought to Kochi today. It will lay in state for the public to pay their last respects and the final rites will take place tomorrow," said Chennithala.

A long time close aide of former Kerala Chief Minister K. Karunakaran, Shanavas along with Chennithala and former Kerala Speaker late G. Karthikeyan in the 1980s parted ways with Karunakaran and formed their own faction, 'the reformist'.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and his cabinet colleagues condoled the passing away of Shanavas.

He will be cremated on Thursday at Ernakulam in Kerala.

Agencies