MALAPPURAM: Senior Communist leader and former Kerala Finance Minister Sivadasa Menon passed away on Tuesday. He was 90.
Menon breathed his last at a private hospital in Kozhikode while under treatment for age-related illnesses. He served as the minister for electricity and rural development in the second E K Nayanar government (from 1987 to 1991) and finance minister in the third E K Nayanar government (from 1996 to 2001). He was elected to the state assembly twice from Malampuzha. He also served as a member of the CPM state committee and state secretariat.
Born to Velloli Sankaran Kutty Panicker and Kallyanikutty Amma in 1932, Menon had been living at the residence of his daughter in Manjeri for the past few years. He earned a degree from the Government Victoria College in Palakkad and B.Ed from Kozhikode Training College. He joined as headmaster at KTM High School Mannarkkad in 1955.
He was part of several communist protests organised to protect the rights of the people. He also faced several attacks from political opponents for dedicating his life to the communist movement. He also excelled in the position of the opposition's deputy chief whip post.
Menon celebrated his 90th birthday on June 14 at his residence in Manjeri.