THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Former Minister, Speaker, MP, and Governor Vakkam Purushothaman (95) passed away on Monday. He was an exemplar of administrative excellence and grit, who graced Kerala politics for more than five decades.

Vakkom was former CM R Sankar's find. He was one of the few leaders from the Ezhava community after Raman Sankar, who passed all the political acumen to be Kerala's next chief minister. However, the extreme factions in Congress and Vakkom’s outspoken character of not being ready to remain acquiesced to political big powers stymied those prospects from happening.

He was thrice sworn in as minister and was speaker twice, and two-time MP. He joined the congress at the insistence of R Sankar. Before that, he was a leading advocate in the capital city. He has often recalled the great support given by Kerala Kaumudi and its editor K Sukumaran at that time.

He was the eldest of ten children born to Bhanu Panicker and Bhavani. He was born on April 12 in 1928. His wife Dr Lilly Purushothaman was the former joint director of the medical directorate. He was staying with his granddaughter Anju, the daughter of his eldest son Biju Purushothaman (late). His other two children are Dr. Bindu Purushothaman KIMS HEALTH and Binu Purushothaman.

Luminaries from all domains reached the congressman’s residence in Kumarapuram to pay final obeisance to the leader. The mortal remains will be kept at the DCC office at 10 am on Tuesday and at the KPCC office at 11 30 am. A funeral procession will be moved from the KPCC office to Hometown Vakkom later.

A public viewing is arranged at Attingal Kacherinada in the evening. The mortal remains will be then taken to Kadavilakathu house in Vakkom for relatives to pay obeisance. The funeral with all official honors will take place on Wednesday at 11 am at Kadavilakthu house.

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.