ALAPPUZHA: Kisan Congress National Vice President Lal Varghese Kalpakavadi passed away on Sunday. He was 70. Kalpakavadi died at 9.30 last night while undergoing treatment at a private hospital in Thiruvalla due to a heart attack. He is also the owner of Kalpakavadi Motel near Thottappally. He was admitted to the hospital two days ago due to physical discomfort. Lal is the son of veteran communist leader Varghese Vaidyan and Saramma.

Although born in a family with communist traditions, Lal was drawn into the congress ideology from his school days. It was the admiration for Indira Gandhi and Karunakaran that made him swerve from communism to Congress. In 1980, he became the state treasurer of the Kisan Congress. For 45 years, Lal remained steadfast in the Kisan Congress.

He worked as State General Secretary, Vice President and State President for 17 years in the organization. Led several farmers' agitations at the national and state levels. In 2016, he became the National Coordinator of the Kisan Congress. He was the chairman of Horticorp during the Oommen Chandy government. In 2020, he contested for the Rajya Sabha as a UDF candidate. He is currently the only opposition member of the Kerala Farmers Welfare Board.

Popular screenwriter Cheriyan Kalpakavadi is Lal’s brother. The dead body will be kept for public viewing at Kalpakavadi from 9 am on Monday. The body will be cremated in the Alappuzha municipal crematorium in the afternoon. The remains will be buried in the Chavara Thevalakkara church according to Lal's wish.