Senior Congress leader and former Kerala Minister K.P. Viswanathan died at a private hospital in Thrissur on December 15 (Friday). He was 83.
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Elected as MLA six times, Mr. Viswanathan served as Minister for Forests and Wildlife twice – under former Chief Ministers K. Karunakaran and Oommen Chandy. Though known for his sharp political criticism and straightforward attitude, Mr. Viswanathan maintained strong bonds with people beyond political boundaries.
A lawyer by profession, he completed his studies from Sree Kerala Varma College, Thrissur, and Ernakulam Law College. He was the Youth Congress president in Thrissur district in 1967. He became the District Congress Committee (DCC) general secretary in 1970 and had been a Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) member since 1972.
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He contested unsuccessfully to the Kerala Assembly from Kunnamkulam in 1970. However, he won in 1977 and 1980 from there. After shifting his field to Kodakara, he contested from there in 1987. He won the Assembly elections four times till 2001 from there.
He also served as president of the Thrissur District Co-operative Bank and State Coconut Farmers Federation. He was also director of the Kerala State Co-operative Bank.
His mortal remains will be placed for the public to pay homage at the Congress Office, Puthulkkad, from 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Friday and 9.30 a.m. to 12.30 p.m. at DCC office on Saturday.
His mortal remains will be cremated at Paramekkavu Shanthi Ghat crematorium on Saturday afternoon.