KOCHI: Former deputy speaker of Kerala assembly and Kochi mayor Kattissery Muhammed Hamsa Kunju passed away following a cardiac arrest here on Thursday around 9.30 pm. He was 81.
Hamsa Kunju, who began his political career with the Indian Union Muslim League, was elected to the seventh Kerala assembly from Mattanchery constituency in 1982. He was elected as the deputy speaker in the same year.
Earlier, he became the Mayor of Kochi in 1973. He was the senior councillor in the Kochi corporation council in 2015. He won under the LDF banner from Thrikkanarvattom, as the senior-most member of the council. He was also a member of KTDC and GCDA.
Though he started his political career with IUML, he had supported other political parties such as CPM, Congress, DIC (K) and Nationalist Congress Party. Hamsa, who made the corporation council lively through his witty comments, is survived by his wife Nabeesa and two sons. The funeral will be held in Kochi on Friday.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed condolences on the demise of the senior politician. The Chief Minister recalled Hamsa bringing several workers' issues before the assembly.