M. V. Raghavan
Melathu Veettil Raghavan (5 May 1933 – 9 November 2014) was a veteran Communist leader and a former Minister in Kerala state of India. He was the General Secretary of the Communist Marxist Party, an alliance partner in the UDF. Prior to the formation of the CMP he was a prominent leader of the Communist Party of India (Marxist).
M. V. Raghavan | |
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| Personal details | |
| Born | 5 May 1933 Cannanore, Malabar District, Madras Presidency, British India (present day Kannur, Kerala, India) |
| Died | 9 November 2014 (aged 81) |
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| Spouse | Janaki |
| Children | 4 (incl. M. V. Nikesh Kumar) |
He was expelled from the CPI(M) following an inner party struggle in which he advocated alliance with the Kerala Congress and the Indian Union Muslim League against the official line of keeping these two parties out of LDF. He then formed the CMP and later joined the UDF. He was a minister in UDF governments a number of times.
He belongs to Kannur district in the North Malabar area of Kerala. His district is one of the developing zones in the country. Raghavan set up the first co-operative sector medical college in the country, Government Medical College in Kannur District. He was the key person to build the first Visha Chikitsa Kendram (Snake Venom Removal Centre) in Pappinisseri, Kannur district. His other major achievement has been the setting up of a Snake Park in Dharmasala, which has become a major tourist attraction.