KOZHIKODE: Veteran Congress leader and former Kozhikode District Congress Committee (DCC) president Adv. M. Veerankutty, who served as the first chairman of the Kerala State Minority Commission, died on Wednesday at the age of 85.
His death marks the passing of a prominent figure who played a significant role in strengthening the Congress organisation in Kozhikode and worked extensively for the welfare and rights of minority communities.
Veerankutty was a familiar and influential presence in Kozhikode's Congress politics for several decades. He was closely involved in the party's organisational activities in the district and held several important positions during his political career.
He served as Kozhikode DCC president after Adv. P. Sankaran, and was credited with playing an important role in building and consolidating the Congress organisation in the district.
Earlier, when Mullappally Ramachandran was the state president of the Youth Congress, Veerankutty served as the Kozhikode district president of the Youth Congress.
Veerankutty remained firmly aligned with Indira Gandhi during the major split in the Congress at the national level, a period that tested the loyalties of leaders across the party.
His association with the Congress movement remained a defining feature of his public life.
He entered electoral politics, contesting the 2006 Kerala Assembly election from the Nadapuram constituency as a UDF candidate.
Although he was unsuccessful, his candidature reflected his standing within the Congress organisation and the wider political landscape of the district.
Veerankutty was a native of Madhurakkuzhi in Edavanna, Malappuram district, but remained closely associated with public and political life in Kozhikode.
His most significant contribution outside party politics came with his appointment as the first chairman of the Minority Commission, where he worked for the rights, welfare and interests of minority communities.
His tenure in the commission further established his reputation as a public figure committed to addressing the concerns of marginalised sections.
AICC General Secretary and MP K.C. Venugopal expressed deep sorrow over Veerankutty's death, describing his demise as a major loss to the Congress party.
Venugopal said Veerankutty's sincere services and contributions to the Congress movement and society would always be remembered.
"His dedication to public life and his cordial approach in dealing with people served as an example to others," he said.
"As Minority Commission chairman, Veerankutty had made significant contributions towards protecting the rights and promoting the welfare of minority communities," Venugopal said.
He also recalled Veerankutty's important role in strengthening the Congress organisation in Kozhikode district.
“The demise of M. Veerankutty Sahib is a major loss to the Congress,” Venugopal said while expressing his condolences to the bereaved family and colleagues.
Veerankutty's death is being mourned by Congress leaders and workers across Kozhikode, who remember him as a committed organisational leader whose political career was marked by loyalty to the party, grassroots engagement and sustained public service.
