City
Epaper

Kerala NCP chief Thomas Chandy passes away

By IANS | Updated: December 20, 2019 19:55 IST

Thomas Chandy (72), senior legislator and President of the Kerala unit of Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), passed away on Friday, party sources said.

Open in App

Chandy was suffering from cancer for the past few years and was under treatment in the US.

He was last seen in public in November when he condemned Ajit Pawar for joining hands with the BJP after he was named the Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra.

After that Chandy left for the US. He returned here 10 days back and breathed his last at his home. The funeral will take place on Monday.

NCP is an ally of the ruling Left Democratic Front in Kerala and its strength in the Kerala Assembly has now come down to two after the demise of Chandy.

Chandy was a three-time legislator and represented the Kuttanad Assembly constituency in Alapuuzha district.

Chandy was the state Transport Minister in the present Pinarayi Vijayan cabinet from April to November in 2017, but had to quit after an alleged land grab for a resort owned by Chandy became big news.

Chandy was a late entrant to full-time politics, as his principal vocation was that of a successful businessman with varied interests in Kuwait.

Chandy was very close to veteran Congress leader K. Karunakaran, but despite the latter's best efforts, he was unable to get him to contest on a Congress ticket.

Chandy's full-time political career began when Karunakaran broke away from the Congress and formed the Democratic Indira Congress (DIC) in 2005.

In the 2006 Assembly polls, DIC was an ally of the Congress-led United Democratic Front (UDF). Chandy won in the elections and subsequently DIC merged with the NCP.

When Karunakaran's son K. Muraleedharan, who was the Kerala NCP President, returned to the Congress, Chandy remained with NCP, which was taken back to the CPI-M-led Left Democratic Front.

In April 2018, he was elected as the state NCP President.

Chandy is survived by his wife, a son and two daughters.

( With inputs from IANS )

Tags: ChandyDemocratic Indira CongressncpK KarunakaranKerala Assembly
Open in App

Related Stories

MumbaiMumbai: Death Threat, Rs 10 Crore Extortion Case Against Zeeshan Siddiqui Transferred to Crime Branch

Navi MumbaiNavi Mumbai: Eknath Shinde’s Strategy to Give Strength to BJP; 12 Former Corporators Likely To Join Shiv Sena

NationalAmbedkar Jayanti 2025: Tensions Flare Within Mahayuti as Eknath Shinde and Ajit Pawar Dropped from Event Speeches

Maharashtra'Stay Away from Anti-Social Elements': Deputy CM Ajit Pawar Urges NCP Workers to Maintain Clean Image During His Beed Visit

Maharashtra“I Have Proof”: Maharashtra CM Devendra Fadnavis Claims NCP Leaders Connected to Jaykumar Gore Extortion Scandal

National Realted Stories

NationalPoster controversy: Police disperse protestors in Jaipur, say situation under control

NationalGujarat: Vadodara woman duped of Rs 5.61 lakh in visa scam, complaint filed

NationalRetaliatory actions against Pak reflect India’s strong policy against those promoting terror: Raksha Khadse

NationalMP: CM holds meeting on law and order, identified 228 Pak citizens to leave nation by Sunday

NationalRoad rage case: K’taka HC restrains police from initiating coercive action against IAF wing commander