MP Veerendra Kumar death: Prime Minister Narendra Modi expresses anguish

 Veerendra Kumar, a Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala and a former union minister, was 84.  

Thiruvananthapuram: MP Veerendra Kumar, the managing director of leading Malayalam daily Mathrubhumi and a member of PTI’s Board of Directors, died on Thursday, at a private hospital following a cardiac arrest, family sources said. He was a Rajya Sabha MP from Kerala and a former union minister.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday expressed anguish at the death of Veerendra Kumar. "Anguished by the passing away of Rajya Sabha MP Shri M.P. Veerendra Kumar Ji. He distinguished himself as an effective legislator and Parliamentarian," Modi wrote on Twitter.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday sent his condolences on the death of the leader.

"I am sorry to hear about the passing away of author & Managing Director of the Mathrubhumi Group, M P Veerendra Kumar Ji. My condolences to his family, colleagues & friends in this time of grief," he said in a tweet.

“He was admitted to hospital here due to some health complications. But unfortunately, he passed away a little before 11 PM,” sources told PTI.

He is survived by his wife, three daughters and a son, MV Shreyams Kumar, who is the Joint managing director of Mathrubhumi.

84-year-old Veerendra Kumar was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1987 and to the Lok Sabha twice.

Veerendra Kumar, the Left Democratic Front-backed Independent candidate, was elected to the Rajya Sabha in the elections held for the lone seat from Kerala in March 2018.

His last rites will be held at Wayanad today (May 29).

Veerendra Kumar had served thrice as the chairman of Press Trust of India, and at the time of his death was one of the directors in the news agency’s board.