KM Mani, Kerala Congress (M) chairman, dies in Ernakulam

KM Mani, the chairman of Kerala Congress (Mani) and the longest serving legislator in the state, died at a hospital in Kochi on Tuesday. He was 86. Mani was suffering from  chest infection, and was reportedly admitted to the hospital on last Thursday. Mani, who had been undergoing treatment at the VPS Lakeshore hospital for pulmonary disease, breathed his last at 4.57 PM. He had been an MLA of Pala assembly constituency for nearly five decades. Kerala Congress (M) is a key ally of the Congress-led UDF in the state.

Mani fell ill days after declaring his close confidante and Kerala Congress (M) leader Thomas Chazhikadan as the UDF candidate in Kottayam Lok Sabha seat. His son and KC (M) leader Jose K Mani is a member of the Rajya Sabha.