HYDERABAD - A newly-elected legislator of the ruling Congress party in Andhra Pradesh Tuesday died following cardiac arrest, a day before he was to take oath as the member of the state legislative assembly.

K. Revatipathi, who was elected from Tekkali seat in Srikakulam district in the April 16 election, died at a corporate hospital in Visakhapatnam, where he was admitted three days ago following cardiac arrest.

Doctors said the 50-year-old breathed his last at 1:40 p.m. as all efforts of the doctors headed by eminent cardiologist B. Somaraju to revive him failed.

The two-time legislator had suffered cardiac arrest on Sunday at his house in Tekkali. He was rushed to the corporate hospital in Visakhapatnam and was since on a ventilator.

Revatipathi, a physician by profession, was popular in his constituency for treating poor patients free of cost. He had undergone kidney replacement surgery a couple of years ago.

A pall of gloom descended on Tekkali as the news of his death spread in the town.

He died a day before the first session of the 13th state legislative assembly begins here. He was scheduled to take oath along with other newly-elected legislators.

Revatipathi was first elected from Tekkali as Telugu Desam Party (TDP) candidate in 1999. He contested as an independent in 2004 when TDP denied him the ticket. He, however, was defeated.

He joined Congress party in 2005 and was fielded as the party candidate from the same constituency in the recent elections.

Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy and TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu have condoled the death of Revatipathi.