THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Vakkom Purushothaman can be described as the iron man who stood firm in the law. Vakkom, who was appointed Lieutenant Governor of Andaman and Nicobar Islands, gave the islanders a sense of the power of that position. He was brought to that position on the recommendation of Congress leader Rajesh Pilot.

Vakkom also deserves the title of creator of some of the laws that Kerala has always cherished. Examples are the Agricultural Workers Act and the Headload Workers Act. It was only when he became Labor Minister that employees suspended under investigation began to receive half pay during the disciplinary period. Ela Development Scheme, School Health Card and Referral Hospital System were implemented during his tenure as Health Minister. The celebration of Onam week started in the 80s when he was the tourism minister in the Nayanar cabinet. Vakkom, who also handled the excise department in the Oommen Chandy cabinet in 2004-06, initiated the discussion on Neera. It was the same government that implemented it.

Vakkom Purushothaman was a speaker who strictly prevented wild and unnecessary arguments in the assembly. He was a shrewd politician. A case in point is the tricks he displayed during his tenure as Speaker.

Vakkom, who was a tough 'A' group politician, became K Karunakaran's biggest rival. It was the time when Karunakaran, in a move within the party, introduced Kodoth Govindan Nair as his own candidate in the Rajya Sabha election when news spread that the government would be pulled down by the opposition by using 22 MLAs who were with the 'I' faction. There, Vakkom brought the 'I' Group MLAs under control with a statement hinting that they would be expelled anytime. Karunakaran's strategy backfired. Later, when Karunakaran formed the DIC, only seven MLAs went with him.

When the issue of Muthanga was burning, the speaker Vakkom took a strict stand that the word Muthanga should not be raised. Today's minister K Radhakrishnan went on a fast in the assembly that day, but Vakkom did not budge. 'I can be killed if a person wishes to, but even if he wishes to, he cannot scare me' this was Vakkom's position.