KOTTAYAM: Senior Kerala Congress (M) leader and Changanassery MLA C F Thomas passed away at a private hospital in Tiruvalla on Sunday. He was 81. Thomas had been under treatment for long and he breathed his last around 9.45am.
His mortal remains were brought to his Chennikkara house in Changanassery by noon. The same will be taken to the parish hall of St Mary’s Metropolitan Cathedral in Changanassery by 11.30am on Monday for the people to pay their last respects. The funeral will be held at the church cemetery around 3pm. A condolence meeting will be held at the church.
Known for his humble demeanour and stern stance, C F Thomas, aka Baby, was a towering leader of KC(M), who has been representing Changanassery constituency in the Kerala Legislative Assembly since 1980. He also served as the rural development and registration minister during A K Antony and Oommen Chandy governments between 2001 and 2006. Thomas was also known as a staunch loyalist of KC(M) stalwart K M Mani. However, Thomas stood by P J Joseph faction of KC(M) following the demise of Mani.
Born to C T Francis and Annamma in Chennikkara family at Changanassery on July 30, 1939, Thomas entered politics through Kerala Students Union (KSU), the student wing of Indian National Congress, in 1956 and became a part of the Kerala Congress since its formation in 1964.
C F Thomas held various positions in KC(M), including party chairman and deputy chairman during his more than six decade-long political career. Before shifting to a full-time politician, he was a teacher at St Berchman’s HSS, Changanassery. He was elected to the assembly from Changanassery in 1980, 1982, 1987, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016.
He was the vice-president of Congress Changanassery Town (West) mandalam committee, when he quit the party to join Kerala Congress (KC). During the split in KC, Thomas stood by Mani and became KC(M) chief. After the merger of three KC groups in 2010, he was serving as the KC(M) deputy chairman. He also worked as the general secretary of Kerala Catholic Students League. Thomas leaves behind wife Kunjamma, son Saiju, daughters Sini and Anu, daughter-in-law Leena and sons-in-law Bobby and Manu.