Veteran Congress leader, ex-Kerala speaker PP Thankachan dies at 86 in Ernakulam

Veteran Congress leader PP Thankachan, a prominent figure in Kerala politics, died at a private hospital in Aluva on Thursday. He was 86.

Hospital authorities said Thankachan, who had been under treatment for age-related ailments for the past month and also suffered from a chest infection, died around 4.30 pm while on ventilator support.

Born in Angamaly on July 29, 1939, Thankachan began his political career in the Congress and became chairman of the Perumbavoor Municipal Council at just 26. He was first elected to the Kerala Assembly from Perumbavoor in 1982 and went on to represent the constituency until 2001.

During his long career, he served as Opposition Chief Whip from 1987 to 1991 and as the state’s Agriculture Minister from 1995 to 1996.

In 2004, he became president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC). He also served as UDF convener, a member of the Rubber Board, and chairman of Kerala Marketfed.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan remembered Thankachan as a leader who rose from the grassroots to the top of state politics, calling him “a gentle person who made his presence felt without controversies” and someone who “left his mark in every role he held.”

Thankachan is survived by his wife T V Thankamma, two daughters, and a son. Funeral arrangements will be announced by the family.

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