THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Tourism Minister A P Anil Kumar condoled the death of former minister and veteran Kerala Congress leader T M Jacob. “Jacob’s demise is a huge loss to the state,” he said. Former minister A Neelalohithadasan Nadar remembered Jacob as one of the best legislators the state had ever seen. Vilakkudy Rajendran, who presided over the condolence meeting held at the Vyloppilli Samskrithi Bhavan on Monday said that Jacob, during his tenure as the Cultural Affairs Minister, had launched various administrative reforms. “Jacob, who entered politics at a young age, had proved himself as an an able legislator and an administrator,” UDF convener P P Thankachan said. It was Jacob who first mooted the idea of giving voting rights to those above the age of 18 in LSG elections.De-linking pre-degree from colleges and the setting up of MG University were among the major initiatives of Jacob. “Jacob’s demise is a loss to the state,” Thankachan said. Kerala State Housing Board chairman Arackal Balakrishna Pillai condoled the death.