Thiruvananthapuram: Senior Congress leader and former Kerala Speaker Vakkom Purushotaman passed away at his residence at Thiruvananthapuram’s Kumarapuram on Monday.
The veteran leader was 96 years old.
He served as the Governor of Tripura (2014), Mizoram (2011-14), Lt. Governor of Andaman and Nicobar (1993-96), a Member of the Legislative Assembly, and the Speaker of Kerala. He was also a minister in the cabinet of C Achutha Menon, EK Nayanar, and Oommen Chandy.
Born in Vakkom, Attingal, he started his political career as an activist of the Students’ Congress in 1946.
He became a member of Vakkom Panchayat in 1953. Later, he served as President of the District Congress Committee, Thiruvananthapuram, and the General Secretary and Vice–President of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee.
Purushothaman was a member of the All-India Congress Committee for over 35 years and he represented the Attingal constituency five times.
Purushothaman is one of the only two people to serve the Speaker post twice.