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 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 5 am, 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.

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