Thiruvananthapuram, March 7 : Kerala assembly speaker G. Karthikeyan died on Saturday at a hospital in Bengaluru where he was being treated for liver cancer, the Congress party said. He was 66 and is survived by his wife, a retired college professor, and two sons.

A six-time member of the assembly, Karthikeyan twice served as a minister. 

"I am cancelling all my programmes and am returning to the capital (Thiruvananthapuram)," a deeply upset Chief Minister Oommen Chandy told reporters at Kochi, adding that he Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and senior Congress leaders would leave for Bengaluru, where a few senior ministers and party leaders are already there in the hospital. 

His body will be brought here by a special flight in the evening. The state Congress party is now making elaborate arrangements for his funeral. 

Soft-spoken and mild-mannered, Karthikeyan rose through the ranks by first becoming the president of the Kerala Students' Union and then the Youth Congress. 

A known confidante of late chief minister K. Karunakaran, he stood behind him in his crisis period in 1978 when leaders like A.K. Antony, Oommen Chandy and V.M. Sudheeran left the party. 

But a few years later, Karthikeyan also parted company with Karunakaran and with Chennithala formed what was known as the third faction in the Congress party. 

He fell ill in the middle of last year as was later diagnosed with liver cancer of the liver. Last October he sought expert treatment at Mayo Clinic in the US. 

After his return, he maintained a low profile and did not attend the last session of the assembly in December. 

In January, his condition improved and he was seen at a few functions in his home constituency located in the outskirts of the capital city. 

His condition deteriorated last month and he was shifted to a hospital in Bengaluru, where he was battling for his life for the past few days.

The Kerala government has declared a holiday for all state government offices and educational institutions for Saturday afternoon and a seven-day mourning.

The State Congress party also declared a week of mourning when no official party engagements would be held, a party press release said.

Leader of opposition V.S. Achuthanandan described Karthikeyan as a very mature leader who gave a lot of respect to his political adversaries.

Seven-day mourning in Kerala for G.Karthikeyan

A seven-day mourning was declared in Kerala following the demise of state assembly speaker G.Karthikeyan at a private hospital in Bengaluru on Saturday.

A special cabinet meeting in the evening discussed how the prominent Congress leader be given his last farewell, befitting Karthikeyan's stature.

The 66-year-old Congress leader served as a minister in the Kerala cabinet on two occasions. He was elected to the assembly six times.

Chief Minister Oommen Chandy later told reporters that Karthikeyan's body would be brought from the airport to his official residence here and would be kept there till Sunday morning.

"The state government has declared a seven-day mourning. Today and tomorrow, the Tricolour will fly at half mast," he said.

The Kerala government also announced a half-day holiday on Saturday in all government and educational institutions in the state.

"Tomorrow morning the body would be kept for a while at the Legislature Complex members lounge. From there, it would be taken to the Congress headquarters and from there to the Secretariat Durbar Hall.

"Around 12 noon, it would be taken to his assembly constituency at Arayanad (near here). From 4 p.m., the religious rites would be held at his own home in the city.

"At 6.00 p.m., it would be brought to the crematorium in the city where he would be cremated with full state government honours and the cremation will take place at 6.30 p.m.," the chief minister added.

Sonia, Rahul condole G. Karthikeyan's demise

Congress president Sonia Gandhi and vice president Rahul Gandhi on Saturday led the party in condoling the death of Kerala assembly speaker G. Karthikeyan.

Sonia Gandhi described the 66-year-old Congressman as a seasoned politician whose "death had left behind a void that would be hard to fill".

Rahul Gandhi said Karthikeyan was a grassroots leader who "served the party and the people of the state with dedication for over four decades".

"His loss will be deeply mourned. My thoughts and prayers are with his family in this time of grief," the vice president said in a message.

Recalling his long association with Karthikeyan, party leader Ahmed Patel said the people of Kerala would never forget their leader's service and contribution to the state politics.

Karthikeyan died on Saturday at a hospital in Bengaluru where he was being treated for liver cancer, the Congress party said.

The prominent Congress leader, who served as a minister in Kerala's state cabinet, was elected to the assembly six times.