KOCHI: PP Mukundan, a senior Sangh Parivar leader and former general secretary of the BJP in Kerala, passed away in Kochi on Wednesday. He was 77.
Mukundan was undergoing treatment for lung-related disease at a private hospital, where he breathed his last at around 8:15 a.m.
He also served as the BJP's national executive member for several years.
Mukundan was the Prantha Sampark Pramukh of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
Born to Naduvil Veetil Krishnan Nair and Kulangarayath Kalyani Amma in 1946 at Manathana village in Kannur district, he joined the RSS as a full-time member as its Vistharak in 1966, after his under graduation.
Mukundan was a towering figure of the BJP in Kerala during 1991–2007, when he was the party's state organising secretary.
Between 2005 and 2007, he served as BJP Dakshina Kshetreeya Sangadana Mantri (BJP South India Organising General Secretary).
He also served as managing director of the BJP's mouthpiece in Kerala's 'Janmabhumi' newspaper.
'Mukundettan' (elder brother), as he is known among his friends and political rivals, has been the face of Sangh politics in Kerala for several decades.
After staying away from being an active member of the BJP in 2008 due to a 'difference of opinion' with the party's state leadership, Mukundan returned to the party fold in 2016 at the behest of the national leadership.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, Governor Arif Mohammad Khan, BJP national president J P Nadda, and senior BJP leaders including V Muraleedharan and BJP state president K Surendran have condoled his passing.
His mortal remains are kept at the RSS Ernakulam Karyalaya from 10.30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
The cremation will be held at his native place in Manathanna, Kannur, on Thursday at 4 p.m.