A delegation led by Kerala Governor P. Sathasivam and accompanied by Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and other senior leaders will attend the funeral of former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam in Rameswaram on Thursday.
Chandy told the assembly on Wednesday that the delegation will also include Leader of Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan, and his cabinet colleagues P.J. Joseph and M.K. Muneer.
When Speaker N. Sakthan said he too wished to come, Chandy replied: "Yes, there is a seat in the aircraft for you, but since tomorrow (Thursday) is the last day of the assembly, it might be difficult."
The post of the deputy speaker is vacant currently after Sakthan, who was the deputy speaker, was elected to the post after the demise of speaker G. Karthikeyan.
The special aircraft with the Kerala delegation will leave for Madurai on Thursday.
"Kerala had made a representation to the central government to see if it was possible to bring Kalam's body to the capital city as this city was his workplace for close to two decades," added Chandy.
