Former Union minister and Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala, M P Veerendra Kumar, died on Thursday. He was 84. He died of cardiac arrest at a private hospital in Kozhikode.
He was the chairman and managing director of the Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing Company Ltd. He was also holding top positions in various media outfits, including the Press Trust of India and World Association of Newspapers.
The body will be taken to his hometown, Kalpetta in Wayanad, on Friday morning. The last rites will be held there in the evening.
He was given membership to the Socialist Party by legendary leader Jayaprakash Narayan when he was a school student. He was jailed during the Emergency.
He was the national treasurer of the Samyuktha Socialist Party during 1968-70. In a political career spanning decades, he led various factions of the socialist wing. He was the state president of the Loktantrik Janata Dal launched by Sharad Yadav.
He became a member of Kerala Assembly in 1987. In the same year, he became the minister of forests, though he resigned after 48 hours. He was elected to the Lok Sabha from Kozhikode in 1996 and 2004. He had also served as a minister of state in the Union finance ministry and minister of state with independent charge of labour ministry in 1997-98.
A well-known author, he has written over 20 books including 'Haimavathabhoovil', 'Buddhante Chiri', Adhiniveshathinte Adiyozhukkukal' and 'Ramante Dukham'.
He has won many awards including the Sahitya Akademy award for best travelogue (Haimavathabhoovil), Kerala Sahitya Akademy award and Vayalar award.
He is survived by wife Usha and children Asha, Nisha, Jayalakshmi and M V Sreyamskumar (joint managing director, Mathrubhumi).
Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda mourned the demise of Veerendra Kumar, hailing him as a great journalist and writer.
"My deepest condolences on the demise of former union Minister and Rajya sabha member Shri M.P. Veerendra Kumar. He was a great journalist and writer. May god give strength to his family & his people to bear the loss," Gowda said in his condolence message.