Senior Congress leader PP Thankachan passes away

ALUVA: Former minister and veteran Congress leader PP Thankachan (86) passed away at a private hospital in Aluva on Thursday evening. He had been undergoing treatment for several days following a severe lung infection.

Thankachan had held several key positions in his political career, including Speaker of the Legislative Assembly, KPCC president and UDF convener.

Thankachan was born on July 29, 1939, in Angamaly, as the son of Rev. Fr. Paulose. After completing his graduation from Sacred Heart College, Thevara, he studied law and worked as a lawyer. He also obtained a diploma in public administration. Thankachan entered the public arena in 1968 when he became the chairman of the Perumbavoor Municipality. At that time, he set a record as the youngest municipal chairman in the country. He served as a municipal council member from 1968 to 1980. Between 1977 and 1989, he was the president of the Ernakulam DCC, and from 1980 to 1982, he served as the opposition leader in the Perumbavoor Municipality.

In 1982, he was elected to the Legislative Assembly from Perumbavoor for the first time. He went on to win from the same constituency in 1987, 1991, and 1996. From 1987 to 1991, he served as the secretary of the Congress Parliamentary Party. In the 2001 Assembly elections, he contested again from Perumbavoor but lost to Saju Paul of the CPM.

In the 2006 elections, he contested from Kunnathunadu but was defeated by M.M. Monayi of the CPM. Thankachan also held several important posts: he served as the Speaker in K. Karunakaran’s ministry (1991–1995), as the Agriculture Minister in A.K. Antony’s cabinet (1995–1996), and as the Chief Whip of the Opposition in the Assembly (1996–2001).

He also served as the Chairman of Marketfed and Vice President of the KPCC from 2001 to 2004. In 2004, when Oommen Chandy became Chief Minister, Thankachan was appointed UDF Convener, a position he continued to hold until 2018.