Veteran Congress leader, former Kerala Speaker P P Thankachan passes away at 87

KOCHI: Veteran Congress leader, former Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly, and KPCC president P P Thankachan passed away on Thursday at the age of 87. Thankachan, who had been undergoing treatment at Rajagiri Hospital in Aluva, breathed his last at 4.30 pm. A seasoned politician known for his organisational acumen and sharp interventions in the House, he carved out a long innings in public life spanning over four decades. Born on July 29, 1939, at Angamali in Ernakulam district as the son of Rev. Father Paulose, Thankachan entered politics through the Congress and soon rose to prominence within the faction led by K Karunakaran. A trusted loyalist of the late stalwart, he became an influential player in the I group, which shaped much of the Congresss internal politics in Kerala during the 1980s and 1990s. Thankachan first entered the Kerala Assembly from Perumbavoor in 1982 and held the seat consecutively in 1987, 1991, and 1996. His tenure as Speaker of the ninth Assembly (199195) came at a time when Karunakaran wielded enormous influence in the states politics. Known for his insistence on decorum, Thankachan presided over stormy sessions with firmness that drew grudging respect across the aisle. In government, he served as Opposition Chief Whip (198791) and as Agriculture Minister in the A K Antony cabinet (199596). Later, in 2004, he was elevated as president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee, a move that underscored his clout in the party hierarchy under Karunakarans influence. His career was often seen as a reflection of the ebb and flow of the Karunakaran camps fortunes within the Congress. But politics was not without setbacks. When the UDF swept to a record 100 seats in the 2001 Assembly polls, few anticipated that Thankachan would fall on his home turf of Perumbavoor. The defeat was a stunning upset and a major blow, especially since he was tipped for a key berth in the new UDF ministry. The veteran leader is survived by his family. Funeral arrangements will be announced later.