Kochi: Veteran Congress leader and former minister PP Thankachan passed away in a private hospital here on Thursday. He was 87. He was under treatment for respiratory ailments in the intensive care unit. According to the hospital bulletin, he died at 4.30 pm. Thankachan, known for his friendly mien, had always been a calm face of the Congress party. As the party convener, he kept the party together even when the Congress leadership in Kerala was riven by internal strife and groupism.

A staunch loyalist of former chief minister K Karunakaran, Thankachan had prioritised his affiliation to the party though Karunakaran parted ways.

He was born on July 29, 1939, at Angamaly as the son of Rev. Fr. Poulose Pynadath and Annamma. After graduating from S H College, Thevara, he pursued a degree in Law and soon earned repute as a successful lawyer. In 1968,  Thankachan became the youngest Municipal Chairman in the country when he was elected to the Perumbavoor Municipal Council. He was the President of the Ernakulam District Congress Committee from 1977 to 1989.

Thankachan was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1982, 1987, 1991, and 1996 from the Perumbavoor Constituency as a Congress candidate.

He was elected as the fourteenth Speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly on July 1, 1991 and occupied the Chair till May 3, 1995. He became a Minister holding the portfolio of Agriculture in the Cabinet headed by A K Antony, on May 3, 1995 and continued till May 9, 1996.

He was the Opposition Chief Whip in the tenth Kerala Legislative Assembly and served as the Vice President of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee during 2001-04. He was appointed as the acting President of KPCC in 2004 and later became the Convenor of UDF.

Considered invincible in Perumbavoor, Thankachan's bitter loss in the constituency in 2001 had always baffled the Congress. It was the year when the party rode the strong anti-incumbency wave against E K Nayanar government and secured 100 seats in the assembly. Thankachan's shocking loss in Perumbavoor marred the glorious victory of the party.

Saju Paul, the CPM candidate, pulled a rude surprise on Thankachan and broke his winning streak as he bagged the seat with a margin of 1188 votes. 

 He is survived by daughters Rekha, Renu, son Varghese, sons-in-law Samuel Koshi, Thomas Kurien and daughter-in-law Demina. 

Thankachan's body will be taken to his residence in front of the Perumbavoor Ashram School at 11 am on Friday. The funeral service will begin at 1 pm on Saturday and the procession will move from Perumbavoor at 2.30 pm to the Mar Sabor Afroth Jacobite Syrian Cathedral near the family home in Akaparambu, Nedumbassery. The last rites will be held at 3.30 pm.