Palakkad (Keralam) | Senior Congress leader and former Chittur MLA K Achuthan died at a private hospital in Alathur in this district on Monday, party sources said here.
He was 76.
Achuthan, who represented Chittur in the Keralam Assembly for four consecutive terms from 1996 to 2016, had been active in public life for several decades.
He entered politics through the KSU, the Congress student wing in Keralam, and later became active among farmers.
Born into a farming family, he was associated with the cooperative sector and served as the president of the Thathamangalam Service Cooperative Bank.
Achuthan had served as the chairman of the Chittur-Thathamangalam municipality for a long period.
He first entered the Assembly in 1996 after defeating K Krishnankutty and went on to win the Chittur seat in 2001, 2006 and 2011.
Chief Minister V D Satheesan condoled Achuthan's death, describing him as a beloved leader of Chittur who combined popularity among the people, loyalty to the party and a simple lifestyle.
"Achuthan was a leader who gave greater importance to the love of the people than to positions," Satheesan said.
He said Achuthan had been considered for a ministerial position when the Oommen Chandy government was formed in 2011, but he declined the post and chose to continue as an MLA.
"He always became the voice of ordinary people, farmers and the agricultural sector," Satheesan said, adding that he had the opportunity to work with Achuthan in the Assembly for 15 years.
Satheesan said Achuthan played a crucial role in strengthening the Congress organisation in Palakkad district and the cooperative sector in Chittur.
"Achuthan's death is a major loss to the Congress movement," he said.
Leader of the Opposition Pinarayi Vijayan also expressed his condolences, recalling Achuthan's contributions as a farmer, cooperative worker and politician, and offering his sympathies to his family and colleagues.
His son, Congress leader Sumesh Achuthan, represents the Chittur constituency in the state Assembly.
