Veteran Congress leader and former MP KP Dhanapalan passes away at 76

KOCHI: Senior Congress leader and former Member of Parliament K.P. Dhanapalan passed away at a private hospital in Paravur, Ernakulam. He was 76. Dhanapalan had been undergoing treatment for age-related ailments for quite some time. A prominent figure in Kerala politics, he had also served as the president of the Ernakulam District Congress Committee (DCC).

Dhanapalan’s legislative career peaked in 2009 when he was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Chalakudy constituency. He later contested the 2014 general elections from Thrissur but was unsuccessful. Over a multi-faceted career, he held several key administrative and civic positions, including serving as a member of the Paravur Municipality, chairman of Milma, and a member of the board of directors for the North Malabar Gramin Bank.

Known for his deep organisational ties, Dhanapalan was regarded as a close and trusted confidant of veteran leader and former Chief Minister A.K. Antony. In the 2001 State Assembly elections, he was initially fielded as the party's candidate for the Vadakkekkara constituency but ultimately had to withdraw from the race after the campaign had already commenced.