BJP's founding leader in Kerala Madikai Kammaran dies of kidney failure at 80

Madikai Kammaran is credited with helping the BJP set up units in Communist bastions and later grew in the party to become the state secretary and vice-president.
BJP national council member Madikkai Kammaran inaugurating a 24-hour fast in Kasargod. (File | Express Photo Service)
BJP national council member Madikkai Kammaran inaugurating a 24-hour fast in Kasargod. (File | Express Photo Service)

KASARGOD: The Bharatiya Janata Party's founding leader in Kerala and its national council member Madikai Kammaran died of kidney failure on Tuesday. He was 80.

He is credited with helping the BJP set up units in Communist bastions, such as Madikai. He grew in the party to become the state secretary and vice-president of the BJP. 

BJP state president Kummanam Rajasekharan draped the party flag over the body to pay final tribute to the leader in Kanhangad. 

Born to P Koran and Kumba Amma on January 1, 1938, in Madikai, Kammaran entered politics through the student movement of the CPI. Later, Ram Manohar Lohia attracted him to socialism. During the Emergency from 1975 to 1977, he was the Hosdurg taluk convener of the Lok Sangarsh Samithi. He was arrested and jailed during the period, said BJP district president K Shreekanth.  

Later, he joined the Jan Sangh and then the BJP. In 1980, he was made the party's secretary of the undivided Kannur district. In 1983, he was one of the leaders who led the struggle for the formation of Kasargod district. He was the BJP's Kasargod district president from 1983 to 1987.

Within the organisation, he was given the responsibility of Thiruvananthapuram, Malappuram, Idukki, Wayanad, and Kollam districts during his long innings with the party.

Kammaran also unsuccessfully contested the Assembly elections from Udma and Hosdurg.

His body will be kept in Kanhangad Town Hall for the public to pay their last respects, said party leaders. The cremation would be held Wednesday morning at his house in Madikai, they said.

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