Senior Congress leader and Opposition UDF candidate from Nilambur V.V. Prakash died of a heart attack this morning, party sources said. The 56-year-old leader was also Malappuram District Congress Committee president. He had undergone angioplasty a few months back.
Former Congress president Rahul Gandhi and other leaders including from rival parties extended their condolences to the family.
Gandhi tweeted, "The untimely demise of Malappuram DCC President & UDF Nilambur candidate VV Prakash Ji is extremely tragic. He will be remembered as an honest & hardworking member of the Congress, always ready to offer help to the people. My heartfelt condolences to his family."
DCC sources said Prakash was admitted to a private hospital in Edakkara in the early hours of Thursday after he complained of heart-related discomfort, but was shifted to a facility in Manjeri as his condition worsened.
He passed away around 5am, they said.
The Congress party was hoping to wrest the Nilambur seat from the ruling LDF alliance. The CPI(M) had fielded incumbent MLA P.V. Anwar.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, IUML leader P.K. Kunhalikutty condoled the Congress leader's demise.
The keenly fought state assembly polls were held on April 6 and the counting of votes is scheduled for May 2.
