KOCHI: Food and Civil Supplies Minister and Kerala Congress (Jacob) leader T M Jacob passed away at Lakeshore Hospital here on Sunday at 10.34 pm. He was 61. He is survived by wife Annie Jacob, son Anoop Jacob and daughter Ambili Jacob. He died following liver failure and abnormal high blood pressure in lungs. He was hospitalised on October 17 with liver disorder.
His son and daughter were present when the minister breathed his last.
Jacob was a former Education minister and had also held the Irrigation and Water Supply portfolio in the A K Antony Government, which came to power in 2001. Jacob was born on September 16, 1950, to T S Mathew and Annamma Mathew.
As a student, he entered politics and subsequently became a member of the Kerala Congress in 1964. Jacob was the general secretary of the Kerala Students Congress, the student wing of the Kerala Congress, in 1971.
He was KSC state president for three consecutive years from 1972 and during 1976-78 he became the president of the Kerala Youth Front.
Jacob became elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly for the first time in 1977 from Piravom constituency and remained a member for next 30 years, representing Piravom and Kothamangalam constituencies. Jacob was also the parliamentary party leader of Democratic Indira Congress (K). A gifted writer as well, he penned two books Ente China Paryadanam and My China Diary.