Veteran Congress leader and former minister P P Thankachan was laid to rest on Saturday at the Mar Sabor Afroth Jacobite Syrian Cathedral in Nedumbassery. Hundreds gathered to pay their last respects to the leader, known for his friendly demeanour.

Senior Congress leaders, including Ramesh Chennithala, opposition leader V D Satheesan, and Minister P Prasad, paid tribute to the veteran politician. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan visited Thankachan’s residence near the Perumbavoor Ashram School on Friday to offer his respects. The state government accorded official honours at his residence.

His body was taken in a funeral procession from his residence at 2.30 pm and reached the church in Nedumbassery by 3.30 pm. Hundreds, including Congress leaders and local residents, gathered to bid a final farewell to the veteran leader.

Thankachan 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.

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