KOCHI: Senior Congress leader and former Lok Sabha member K P Dhanapalan (76) died early on Saturday. He had been undergoing treatment for age-related ailments at a private hospital in Paravur.
Dhanapalan represented the Chalakudy Lok Sabha constituency from 2009 to 2014 and was a prominent Congress leader in central Kerala. He also served as president of the Ernakulam District Congress Committee (DCC) and was regarded as one of the closest associates of veteran Congress leader A K Antony in the district.
His political career began in 1979, when he was elected as a councillor of the Paravur municipality. Over the years, he held several key positions, including chairman of Milma and member of the board of directors of the North Malabar Gramin Bank. He was also the Congress candidate for the Thrissur Lok Sabha seat in the 2014 general election.
In the 2001 Assembly elections, Dhanapalan was fielded by the Congress from the Vadakkekara constituency but had to withdraw in favour M A Chandrasekharan after the campaign had begun.
Despite his ill health, Dhanapalan attended a public reception accorded to Chief Minister V D Satheesan in Paravur on Sunday, marking his last public appearance.
His mortal remains will be kept at the Paravur Municipal Town Hall from 11 am on Saturday to enable the public to pay their last respects. The cremation will be held at 5 pm.
