Former general secretary of RSP and former Minister of Kerala K. Pankajakshan, who had been admitted to the Medical College Hospital with age-related ailments, died on Tuesday. He was 84.
He had been admitted to the hospital on Friday following difficulties in feeding and vomiting. He had been shifted to the Medical ICU next day as his condition worsened with failure of renal function. His condition remained critical all through and death came following cardiac arrest earlier in the day.
Born at Pettah, Thiruvananthapuram in 1928, Mr. Pankajakshan has been elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1970, 1977, 1980, 1982 and 1987.
He was the Minister of Public Works from 1976 to 1979 and the Chief Whip of ruling coalition in 1980-81. He also served as the Minister of Labour and Rehabilitation from 1987 to 1991.
Mr. Pankajakshan entered politics through the Congress in 1945. He was later attracted to the Congress Socialist movement and participated in the national movement.
Later, he joined the Kerala Socialist Party (KSP) and was in the forefront of many agitations and trade union struggles. He joined the RSP after a rift in the KSP.
