Senior leader of Communist Party of India and former Perundurai MLA T.K. Nallapan, 87, died at a private hospital in Coimbatore in the early hours of Friday. He was elected to the Assembly from Perundurai in 1980.
Born in an agriculture family at Seelampatti village in Perundurai taluk, he lost his father during childhood and was brought up by his mother. Prevailing family situation kept education out of his sights and he started weaving and earned money to support his mother. Later, he served as a taxi driver, started a cycle repair shop and also sold ingredients for making beverages.
Inspired by the policies of Communist Party, he joined it and served as secretary of the party’s Perundurai Union for a long period.
During the elections in 1980, Nallapan secured 44,210 votes, while N.K.P. Jaganathan of Indian National Congress secured 32,543 votes.
After Erode district was formed in 1979, he was elected as treasurer of the party for the district. The body was kept for the public to pay homage at his residence at Tiruvenkadam Palayam village and buried in the evening. State Secretary of CPI R. Mutharasan, Perundurai MLA N.D. Thoppu Venkatachalam, functionaries of various political parties and the public paid homage to the departed leader.
He is survived by his wife Nallammal.
