THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: SR Thangaraj, who had represented Neyyattinkara in the assembly for two terms from 1982, died at a private hospital here on Monday. He was 84. He had been state general secretary of Janata Dal, president of Neyyattinkara Bar Association and president of Neyyattinkara Taluk Urban Bank and president of Marma Thirummu Kalaripayattu Association. “He was a socialist and advocate who stood for the cause of common man,” S Ajayakumar, a lawyer.
According to him Thangaraj was involved in the development of Neyyattinkara even after he quit active politics. He was the chairman when an action council was formed for demanding the creation of Neyyattinkara taluk. He was also involved in the functioning of Gandhi Mithra Mandalam.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan remembered Thangaraj was a leader who took an active role in the assembly proceedings and stood by the people in the development initiatives. His body will be kept at Sugatha Bhavan in Alummoodu for the public to pay homage. The funeral will be held at his ancestral house in Kanjiramkulam at 4pm on Tuesday. Thangaraj is survived by son R T Pradeep and daughter T S Sindhu. His wife Sugatha had predeceased him.