Ernakulam (Kerala) [India], September 11 : Senior Congress leader, former Kerala Assembly Speaker, and ex-KPCC president PP Thankachan passed away on Thursday evening at the age of 88.
He breathed his last around 4:30 pm at a private hospital in Aluva, where he had been undergoing treatment for respiratory infection and age-related ailments.
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the demise and remembered Thankachan as a person who stood out in public life as a gentle and calm personality.
"He was a person who rose step by step from the grassroots level to the state leadership. Without ever being embroiled in controversies, he stood out in public life as a gentle and calm personality. In every position he held, he left a distinct mark," Vijayan said in a statement.
"As a minister and assembly speaker, he was able to keep everyone together and move forward. Thankachan, who worked for a long time as the KPCC president and UDF convener, was a person who was friendly to everyone. I share the grief of his family members and colleagues," the Chief Minister said.
A towering figure in Kerala politics, Thankachan's public life spanned over five decades. He began his political career as a Perumbavoor municipal councillor and went on to serve as its chairman from 1968 to 1980. When he assumed office in 1968, he was the youngest municipal chairman in India.
He held positions as block president, Ernakulam DCC president, and KPCC vice-president.
Thankachan represented the Perumbavoor constituency in the Kerala Legislative Assembly four times between 1982 and 1996. He was elected Speaker of the Assembly in 1991. In 1992, he became the first Speaker from Kerala to be nominated to the Standing Committee of Presiding Officers of State Legislatures.
He later served as Minister for Agriculture in the AK Antony-led cabinet from May 1995 to May 1996. During his brief tenure, he made key policy decisions, including the provision of free electricity for agricultural use.
As United Democratic Front (UDF) convenor from 2004 to 2018, Thankachan played a crucial role in coordinating the activities of the alliance's constituent parties. Known for his conciliatory approach during times of factionalism within the Congress, he was respected across political lines for his ability to bring diverse voices together.
He also briefly served as KPCC president in 2004 and had a stint as chairman of Marketfed. Apart from politics, Thankachan was also honoured with the title of Commander by the Patriarch of the Jacobite Syrian Church.
The family will announce the funeral arrangements.