KOCHI: Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani bid adieu to the world, holding his wife Kutiyamma’s hand. His children including Jose K Mani were also by the side of his hospital bed where he had been confined over the past several days.

The body will be taken to Kottayam in a mourning procession, which will start at 9 am on Wednesday. The last rites will be held at Pala St Thomas Cathedral on Thursday at 3 pm.

Mani had been admitted to the Lakeshore hospital since last Friday night for treating respiratory disease. The treatment was going on under Chief Pulmonologist Dr Hari Lakshman. Mani had been shifted to ICU as he developed breathing trouble.

As the kidney also failed, he was subjected to dialysis and the condition worsened by around 11 on Monday morning.
Though the condition improved a bit in the night again it worsened on Tuesday morning. In spite of immediate medical attention, he breathed his last at 4:57 pm.

Elsamma, Sally, anie, Tessy and Smitha are his daughters.

The body was kept at the hospital for public viewing from 6:40 pm to 7.10pm. Leaders and workers paid homage to the mortal remains.

The body will be taken to Kottayam Kerala Congress State office on Wednesday and later it will be kept at Thirunakkara maidan for public to pay homage. From there it will be taken to his Pala house.

Earlier hundreds of workers, political and socio-cultural leaders visited hospital to pay their last respects.