KOCHI: Veteran CPM leader and former Finance Minister V Vishwanatha Menon, 92, passed away at a private hospital here on Friday morning. One of the tallest leaders of the CPM in Kerala, he was elected to the Lok Sabha from Ernakulam constituency in 1967. In 1974 he was elected to the Rajya Sabha also.
Vishwanatha Menon served as the finance minister in the EK Nayanar cabinet from 1987 to 1991. He was elected to the assembly from Thripunithura seat. Though the LDF fielded him in the 1991 Lok Sabha election, he lost to Congress leader KV Thomas.
However, he parted ways with the CPM in 2003 and contested as an independent supported by the BJP in the 2003 byelection from Ernakulam constituency. The seat fell vacant following the death of Congress leader George Eden.
Known as Ambadi Viswan, Viswanatha Menon was a firebrand trade union leader of the CPM. He was an accused in the 1950 Edappally police station attack case in which two policemen were killed.
The body was taken to his residence at Kaloor Desabhimani Junction at 10 am. The body will be kept at Ernakulam Town Hall for public homage in the noon. The funeral will be held at Ravipuram Crematorium at 5 pm.
He is survived by wife K Prabhavathi Menon, sons V Ajith Narayanan (former senior government pleader), Dr V Madhava Chandran and daughters-in-law Sreeja Ajith (Asst professor St Peter's College, Kolenchery) and Prethi Madhav (Asst Professor MES College Edathala).