Thiruvananthapuram, Apr 10 (IANS): CPI-M central committee member and senior leader of the party, M.C. Josephine (73) passed away at Kannur on Sunday.

Josephine, who was participating in the 23rd party Congress of the party at Kannur, fainted during the party programme on Saturday and was rushed to the AKG Cooperative hospital in Kannur where she was placed on ventilator.

Josephine was the Kerala State Women's Commission Chairperson for a period of four and half years during the period of the first Pinarayi Vijayan government. Her period was mired with controversies and she had to resign following the party directive. She was also the former Chairman of the Greater Cochin Development Authority (GCDA).

The senior woman leader, hailing from Ernakulam district, was one of the few Christian women faces of the CPI-M.

She was one of the three central committee members from Kerala who was removed from the party central committee on Sunday along with P. Karunakaran and Vaikom Viswan.

Josephine was a close associate of former Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan when the group rivalry in the party was at its zenith with Achuthanandan on the one side and Pinarayi Vijayan on the other side.

CPI-M Ernakulam district secretary and senior leader C.N. Mohanan while speaking to IANS said, "The mortal remains will be kept at AKG Hospital in Kannur for the public to pay their last respects. Her body will be taken to Angamaly in Ernakulam district and the funeral will take place on Monday at Angamaly."