P.T. Thomas passes away

Senior Congress leader and P.T. Thomas, MLA, passed away at around 10.30 a.m. at a private hospital in Vellore on Wednesday.

Mr. Thomas, 71, was undergoing treatment for cancer at the hospital.

He was serving his second consecutive term as the legislator from the Thrikkakara constituency in Ernakulam district at the time of his death.

Mr. Thomas, one of the popular leaders of the party in the State with a mass base, was recently elected as the working president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) at the recent organisational rejig.

He was earlier considered as a confidant of Congress leader Oommen Chandy and a front line warrior of the faction led by him in the State unit of the party.

During his early days in politics, Mr. Thomas had served as the State president of the KSU, and the national executive member of the NSUI. He was also elected as the State general secretary of the Indian Youth Congress, the executive member of the KPCC and the district president of the Idukki District Congress Committee (DCC).

Before being elected to Parliament from Idukki in 2009, Mr. Thomas had served as the member of the Idukki district council also. He was also elected twice to the Assembly from the Thodupuzha constituency.

He is survived by his wife Uma and two children Vishnu and Vivek.