Kochi:
Former Kerala Minister and MP, Lonappan Nambadan passed away at a private hospital in Kochi following chest infection.
He was a member of the 14th Lok Sabha and had represented Mukundapuram constituency as an independent candidate backed by the Left Democratic Front (LDF).
Nambadan, who was a kidney patient and was undergoing dialysis since the past few years, had been admitted to a private hospital in Kochi on June one, hospital sources said.
He passed away at 2.10 PM this afternoon. He was 78 and leaves behind a wife, a son and two daughters.
Nambadan, who hails from Thrissur district, was a teacher, before he became a politician. He joined Kerala Congress and was elected to the assembly in 1977, 1980 and 1982 from Kodakara constituency and in 1987, 1991 and 1996 from Irinjalakuda constituency as an Independent candidate backed by the LDF.
Nambadan had served as Transport Minister from January 25, 1980 to October 20, 1981 and as Housing Minister from April 2, 1987 to June 17, 1991, both terms when E K Nayanar was the Chief Minister.