Former union minister K P Unnikrishnan passes away

KOZHIKODE: Former union minister and senior Congress leader K P Unnikrishnan (90) passed away at a private hospital in Kozhikode. He was undergoing treatment for age old ailments. He had served as the union minister for telecommunications, shipping and surface transport in the V P Singh cabinet. He was a six-time MP from Vadakara. He had also worked as a journalist. He is survived by his wife Amrita, and two daughters.

He was born on September 20, 1936 in Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. He completed his studies from Chennai Christian College, Presidency College and Government Law College, Madras. He started his political career as a member of the Praja Socialist Party while studying. He joined the Congress party in 1960. He became a member of the AICC from 1962. He contested and won the 1971 Lok Sabha elections as a Congress candidate from Vadakara. He later won from Vadakara in 1977, 1980, 1984, 1989, and 1991. He had served as the Minister of Telecommunications, Shipping, and Surface Transport in the V P Singh cabinet during 1989-90. While serving as the minister, he led the evacuation of over 1.5 lakh Indians, mostly Keralites, from Kuwait during the Gulf War.

He had worked with V.K. Krishna Menon. He was one of Indira Gandhi's confidants. Later, he had a difference of opinion with Indira Gandhi and then joined Congress U and later joined Congress S. He returned to Congress in 1995. He will be laid to rest tomorrow at 9 am.