MLA Kesavan outlives Assembly's 'fatal' mistake to die later

The Kerala Assembly on Thursday made the ''fatal'' mistake of announcing CPI MLA M K Kesavan's death hours before he succumbed to prostate cancer.

He was 60, and is survived by wife and three sons.

Kesavan, who had been admitted to the Regional Cancer Centre, was on the ventilator for the past few days. The end came at 1610 hours.

The body was brought to ''M N Smarakam'', the CPI state headquarters. It was taken to his native town Vaikom in Kottayam district at 1900 hours.

The cremation will take place on Friday.

In the morning, the Assembly was adjourned several hours ahead of schedule based on incorrect reports that Kesavan had died.

Cultural Affairs Minister T K Ramakrishnan told the House after the zero hour that Kesavan died and the House should be adjourned without taking up any business.

Leader of opposition A K Antony also concurred with Ramakrishnan.

Following this, speaker V Vijayakumar adjourned the House.

After the House was adjourned, the cancer centre informed the speaker's office that the report about his death was incorrect.

Later, Vijayakumar convened a meeting of leaders of both the ruling and opposition fronts to discuss the mistake. Chief Minister E K Nayanar also attended the meeting.

Earlier, Kerala Chief Minister E K Nayanar informed the Assembly that there was no need for any anxiety over the health of former minister and Communist Marxist Party (CMP) leader M V Raghavan, who is under judicial custody at the Kannur district hospital.

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