Senior Congress leader K Sankaranarayanan passes away at 89

Senior Congress leader who served as the governor of six states, K Sankaranarayanan passed away in Palakkad on Sunday. He was 89 when he breathed his last at his residence.

The minister served as the governor of Maharashtra, Nagaland and Jharkhand. Prior to his appointment as governor, he was a four-time minister of various ministries in the Kerala government.

He also held additional charges of governor in the states of Arunachal Pradesh, Assam and Goa.

Sankaranarayanan was elected to the Kerala assembly at least four times. He handled the portfolios of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Dairy Development, Community Development, as well as Excise in a Congress-led government headed by K Karunakaran and A K Antony.

He was first elected to the 5th Kerala Legislative Assembly (KLA) from Thrithala, thereafter to the 6th KLA from Sreekrishnapuram to the 8th KLA from Ottappalam and to the 11th KLA from Palghat Constituency.

He was also the Convener of the United Democratic Front (UDF) for 16 years.

Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed his condolences on the demise of K Sankaranarayanan.

"Express heartfelt condolences on the passing of senior Congress leader K Sankaranarayanan. He upheld a Nehruvian and secular outlook. He was a people-oriented politician. As governor, minister and legislator he undertook people-friendly measures, and stood for development," tweeted CM.

Opposition leader V D Satheesan, Governor Arif Muhammad Khan and many other leaders from different walks also expressed their condolences.

(ANI)