"A shock to all of us": Kerala LoP VD Satheesan as mortal remains of PP Thankachan brought to Kochi

Kochi (Kerala) [India], September 12 (ANI): The mortal remains of senior Congress leader PP Thankachan were brought to his residence in Kochi on Friday for public homage, as leaders across Kerala expressed grief over his demise.
He breathed his last around 4:30 pm at a private hospital in Aluva on Thursday, where he had been undergoing treatment for respiratory infection and age-related ailments.
Speaking to ANI, Leader of Opposition in the Kerala Assembly and senior Congress leader VD Satheesan also expressed his grief.
"The demise of senior veteran leader P P Thankachan is a shock to all of us who are related to him...He was a UDF convener for a long time...As an administrator, his contributions are highly appreciated...As a leader of the party, he made a lot of contributions to the Congress party in Kerala. I express my grave concern and deep sorrow to members of his family and his associates," Satheesan said.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) president Sunny Joseph remembered Thankachan as one of the party's "friendly" leaders in the state.
"PP Thankachan is one of the senior-most Congress leaders in Kerala..He was an MLA, a speaker, a minister...He was friendly to all the party workers and the general public. His demise is a great loss for the family, locality and the Indian National Congress at the state level," Joseph said.
"The demise of senior veteran leader PP Thankachan is a shock to all of us who are related to him...He was a UDF convener for a long time...As an administrator, his contributions are highly appreciated...As a leader of the party, he made a lot of contributions to the Congress party in Kerala. I express my grave concern and deep sorrow to members of his family and his associates."
Thankachan's public life spanned over five decades. He began his political career as a Perumbavoor municipal councillor and went on to serve as its chairman from 1968 to 1980. When he assumed office in 1968, he was the youngest municipal chairman in India
He held positions as block president, Ernakulam DCC president, and KPCC vice-president. Thankachan represented the Perumbavoor constituency in the Kerala Legislative Assembly four times between 1982 and 1996. He was elected Speaker of the Assembly in 1991. In 1992, he became the first Speaker from Kerala to be nominated to the Standing Committee of Presiding Officers of State Legislatures.
He later served as Minister for Agriculture in the AK Antony-led cabinet from May 1995 to May 1996. During his brief tenure, he made key policy decisions, including the provision of free electricity for agricultural use.
As United Democratic Front (UDF) convenor from 2004 to 2018, Thankachan played a crucial role in coordinating the activities of the alliance's constituent parties. Known for his conciliatory approach during times of factionalism within the Congress, he was respected across political lines for his ability to bring diverse voices together.
He also briefly served as KPCC president in 2004 and had a stint as chairman of Marketfed. Apart from politics, Thankachan was also honoured with the title of Commander by the Patriarch of the Jacobite Syrian Church. (ANI)