THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: A man who was always refined and humane to the core. A leader who was ways onging to stay connected with the masses and ongress workers, but couldn’t fulfill his dream. hen the saga of G Karthikeyan ends, many untold and unknown facets of his life will stand out to earn admiration from all around. Karthikeyan had humble beginnings, before he fanned out from the limited environs of his home town Varkala in Thiruvananthapuram district.Even when he grew as a notable student and youth leader of the Congress in the late seventies and early eighties, he always maintained warm and bosom relationships with young leaders of his own and other politicalorganisations, a trait which he continued throughout his life.
In every nook and corner of Kerala,he maintained closeness with a handful few, both young and old,and interacted with them occasionally.He never had any airs of being a senior leader and even when serving as Speaker,anyone could directly dial ‘GK’,as he is fondly called, and ensure a reply.
The humane aspect of Karthikeyan could be etched through a single real life incident. When he was serving as the state president of the KSU, he had a close friend in the ranks of the SFI leadership.
The latter was afflicted with cancer and he succumbed to the illness soon. After some time, a lady whom the SFI friend used to refer to Karthikeyan came into his mind. She belonged to a hardcore CPM family near Tiruvalla. She had joined as a lecturer in the Government college,Manjeri, after some time, but Karthikeyan had no means of any regular income. On finding that the women’s family is not inclined to give her in marriage,Karthikeyan proposed to the woman and she readily agreed. He took the hands of the girl and their journey together in a last KSRTC bus from Malappuram ended in Thiruvananthapuram in the wee hours.
The girl was Sulekha, whom Karthikeyan married the next day in a registered office on the utskirts of the city. Karthikeyan himself had referred to this unforgettable chapter in his life, to point out relationships and friendships which transcended political barriers and other considerations.
He was pained to see that such a warmth lacking in the changing times. Incidentally, it was T K Hamza,former Malappuram DCC chief and later CPM MLA, MP and minister,who arranged the money to meet the bus fare for him and Sulekha to the state capital. “After marriage, the couple was forced to stay in many houses of Karthikeyan’s friends in the city for 4-5 years, as they had no stable means for a livelihood then,” said a close aide of the departed leader.
Karthikeyan’s passion for books,good movies and going places around the globe was well-known. It was never a cursory approach and naturally,it reflected in his thoughts and uttering. From big to small authors and on topics varied,he was wellversed and as always kept a tab on it.
He would spring to the world of letters,if he finds the person opposite is also fond to surf a same terrain.
However, he didn’t author any work for posterity. When a few movie bugs among the young legislators pleaded for a small facility to view world classics within the portals of the Assembly,Karthikeyan readily agreed while chairing the session last year, but could not make it a reality.
“Do you know Odanavattam Chandran?,”Karthikeyan asked this correspondent once. “His short stories and other writings were so prolific.Have you gone through his works?Is he still alive?,” he probed in all youthfulness a few months before he became ill, while discussing a programme scheduled near to the native place of the writer,who was no more.It was Karthikeyan’s habit to enquire about the well-being of his wellwishers,spread across the state and connected with various spheres.
He also made it a point to inform them on his itinerary and in case of any death which had ccurred recently in the household of such persons,he insisted on visiting their house.
“Whenever he went to Wayanad area, he saw to it that he took a cup of tea from a particular wayside shop in the lower reach of the hairpin road and had a chat with the old man running it,” said one of his aides. Just before leaving for Bengaluru for treatment a few days ago,he came to know that a youth,who is a native of Kottayam and close to him, had chest pain.
“He insisted that I should get admitted to a hospital in Kozhikode and undergo a detailed check up and treatment,” said Eugene Thomas. “I talked to him over phone from my hospital bed,before he left,” he recalled. None could ever dig out an instance when Karthikeyan used harsh words against his political opponents or critics, even when remaining elegantly firm on his stand on various issues, including political.No wonder, he was an easy prey in the rough and tumble of Congress politics, especially in his late years.