Sad news awaited Thennala despite winning a historic victory for party 

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Thennala Balakrishna Pillai was a leader who played a crucial role when the Congress was in power in Kerala. The 2001 election was an election that Kerala watched with great interest. In a year of fierce competition, the then ruling Left Front won just 40 seats. The UDF won the largest lead in its history, 99 seats. When M A Vaheed, who contested as a rebel in Kazhakoottam with the support of leader K Karunakaran, is added, the UDF got 100 seats.

It was a very proud moment for the then KPCC president Thennala Balakrishna Pillai, who resolved all their differences and faced the election together with the leader and A K Antony. During the election, his shoes were worn out after running from Manjeswaram to Parasala. Thenala decided to buy a new pair of shoes and went to the Bata showroom in Pulimoodu. The then KPCC general secretary Pandalam Sudhakaran and his childhood friend Narayanan Kutty were with him.

At this time, Pandalam Sudhakaran received a message on his mobile phone. Mobile phones just reached the market then. Ghulam Nabi Azad and Motilal Vora, who had come as AICC observers, wanted to meet Thenala. They said that he should immediately reach the guest house. Without any delay, he bought the shoes and reached the guest house. The news that he had to hear was a news that destroyed all the happiness he had till then.

Motilal Vora told Thennala that K Muraleedharan should become the KPCC chief before A K Antony was sworn in as the chief minister. Thennala said that he has no problem and immediately submitted his resignation. Later, in 2004, after K Muraleedharan stepped down as the chairman to become a minister, Thennala was given the responsibility. He performed his duties properly without any incidents until Ramesh Chennithala became the chairman in 2005.