Kerala MLA Vazhur Soman Passes Away During Official Function in Thiruvananthapuram

Thiruvananthapuram, August 22 — Peermade legislator Vazhur Soman passed away on Thursday after collapsing during a government programme in the capital, marking the third sitting MLA to die during the tenure of the 15th Kerala Legislative Assembly.

Soman, 72, suddenly collapsed while attending a revenue assembly session at the Institute of Land and Disaster Management, PTP Nagar. He reportedly told those around him, “I feel unwell, please hold me,” before collapsing. He was immediately given first aid and rushed to a private hospital in Shasthamangal, but doctors pronounced him dead. According to medical officials, he had suffered a massive cardiac arrest.

Revenue Minister K. Rajan, who was present, said Soman had spoken about issues faced by Idukki district before his collapse. “He was cheerful, interacting with everyone. None of us noticed any signs of illness. His passing is deeply shocking,” the minister said.

This is the third such loss for the Assembly within four years. In December 2021, Congress MLA P.T. Thomas passed away before the Assembly completed a year in office. His wife, Uma Thomas, was later elected from Thrikkakara in the by-election. Former Chief Minister Oommen Chandy died in July 2023, after which his son, Chandy Oommen, won from Puthuppally.

Born on September 14, 1952, in Vazhur, Kottayam, to Kunjupappan and Parvathi, Soman entered public life through the All India Students Federation (AISF) in 1974. He rose through the ranks of the CPI and was elected to the Assembly for the first time in 2021, defeating Congress candidate Syriac Thomas by a margin of 1,835 votes.

He had earlier served as chairman of the Idukki District Panchayat Welfare Standing Committee and as chairman of the Kerala State Warehousing Corporation. At the time of his death, he was Vice President of AITUC Kerala and a member of its national executive.

Soman is survived by his wife, Bindu Soman, and two sons, Sobin and Sobith.

In one of his last remarks during the Assembly session, Soman had expressed frustration over the hardships faced by migrant workers and labourers in Idukki, saying, “Even if I die, these issues will never get resolved.”

With only nine months left for the current government’s term, the Election Commission is unlikely to hold a by-election in the Peermade constituency. A fresh notification for the state Assembly elections is expected in February or March 2026.