KOCHI: Senior Congress leader and UDF candidate for Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency, Benny Behanan, was admitted to a private hospital in Kochi on Friday after he suffered a heart attack, party sources said.

The 67-year old Behannan was rushed to Kakkanad Sunrise hospital after he complained of severe chest pain in the early hours of Friday, they said.

"He underwent angioplasty. He has been kept under 48-hour observation," his aide said.

Behanan, who is also convener of the Congress-led UDF in Kerala, had filed his nomination papers as party candidate from Chalakkudy constituency on Monday.

LDF's sitting MP, Malayalam film actor Innocent, and BJP's A N Radhakrishnan are his main rivals in the April 23 Parliamentary polls.

Ernakulam district Congress Committee president T J Vinod said the UDF leadership would make necessary arrangements to conduct the poll campaign in his absence.

Kakkanad Sunrise hospital managing director Dr Hafeez Rehman said that Benny’s heart was functioning normally.

Congress chief Rahul Gandhi, Union MoS Alphons Kannanthanam and others called him up to enquire about his health.
Innocent MP, Opposition leader Ramesh Chennithala, Oommen Chandy, K V Thomas and Vayalar Ravi visited him in the hospital.