Communist Leader M V Raghavan Passes away

Communist Marxist Party (CMP) founder in Kerala and leader Melathu Veettil Raghavan died on 9^th November 2014. He was 81. He died after a prolonged illness due to Parkinsons disease. He had served as Minister for Co-operation of Kerala for two terms in 1991-1996 and 2001-06 in United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition government.

About Melathu Raghavan

• Melathu Raghavan is also known as MVR was born in Kannur, Kerala in 1933.
• At the age of 15, he became part of the communist movement and then became the trade union leader. He was considered as a firebrand and inspiring leader of the Left mass.
• In 1967, he was the CPI (M) party state secretary at Kannur and later became the state secretariat member of the party.
• In 1986, he was expelled from the CPI (M) party due to difference in opinion with the leadership.
• After he was expelled from the CPI (M) party, he founded the Communist Marxist Party (CMP) and later formed an alliance with Congress to form UDF.
• He was seven time legislator in Kerala Assembly and served as a minister for two terms.
• He was the founder of the Pariyaram Co-operative Medical College in Kannur District which was first medical college under co-operative sector in India.
• He was also credited for setting up the cooperative establishments like Pappinissery Visha Chikilsa Kendram (Snake-venom removal centre), Snake Park and the Ayurvedic Medical College in Kerala.

Month: Current Affairs - November, 2014