THIRUVANANTHAPURAM: Three-time Thiruvananthapuram MP and Congress leader A Charles, 84, died here on Sunday following age-related illnesses.
A Charles had been admitted to a private hospital on October 13. Pneumonia and infection in the internal organs resulted in his death at 9.45 am on Sunday, a family member said.
Charles, who hails from Kanjiramkulam in the district, represented the Thiruvananthapuram Lok Sabha constituency three times in a row - in 1984, 1989 and 1991. In 1991, the CPI had fielded poet O N V Kurup against him. Charles took to the battlefield a fourth time in 1996, but lost to CPI’s K V Surendranath.
“A Charles was a leader who endeared himself to the people with his honest and dedicated approach towards developmental activities. He was far-sighted and took special interest in matters regarding the development of roads and railways,” KPCC chief V M Sudheeran said, after paying homage to Charles at his residence at Kumarapuram on Sunday morning.
A Charles is survived by his wife Evageline Charles, who retired from the Rural Development Department, and sons Mathew Charles, C E Paul and Philip Charles.
Mathew works atISRO, Paul at Kerala State Remote Sensing and Environment Centre and Philip is in Canada.
Charles will be laid to rest at the CSI Church cemetery in Kannanmoola at 11.30 am on Monday.
Apart from V M Sudheeran, Kodukkunnil Suresh MP, MLAs V Sivankutty, Palode Ravi and K Muraleedharan, Deputy Speaker N Shakthan, former Mizoram Governor Vakkom Purushothaman and Congress leaders Pandalam Sudhakaran and Thalekkunnil Basheer paid homage to the veteran politician at his residence.