Kochi, Sep 11 Veteran Congress leader and four-time legislator P.P. Thankachen passed away at a private hospital near Kochi on Thursday evening.
He was 84 and had been under treatment for age-related ailments for the past several weeks.
Thankachen, a lawyer by profession, entered public life early and rose steadily through the ranks of the Congress.
At just 26, he became the chairman of his municipality, marking the start of a long political journey.
Over the decades, he went on to hold several key positions in the state, including Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, Agriculture Minister in the A.K. Antony cabinet, KPCC President, and Convenor of the Congress-led UDF for 14 years.
He was regarded as one of the party's most effective troubleshooters during the height of the factional battles between the camps of K. Karunakaran and A.K. Antony, though he always remained loyal to Karunakaran.
Condolences poured in from across the political spectrum.
Kerala Governor Rajendra V. Arlekar extended condolences to Thankachan's bereaved family.
In a post on X, he said that Thankachan dedicated his life to public service as Speaker, Minister and KPCC President and will be remembered with gratitude.
Former Chief Minister A.K. Antony expressed profound grief, recalling a friendship that spanned six decades.
"Our relations started in the Youth Congress. More than political colleagues, we were thick friends. Even during factional differences, he remained calm and soft-spoken. I have now lost yet another long-time associate," Antony said.
AICC General Secretary K.C. Venugopal described Thankachen’s death as “a huge loss for the party,” noting his experience in handling internal disputes and his ability to carry UDF allies along.
"Whichever post he held, he always placed the party's interests above his own," Venugopal said.
State Congress President Sunny Joseph remembered him as a mentor.
"When he was KPCC president, I was Kannur district president. He chose politics over a judicial career despite clearing the Munsiff exam. We have lost a guide," Joseph said.
Thankachen's wife had predeceased him. He is survived by three children.
The last rites will be held on Saturday at his hometown, Perumbavoor.
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