Former Kerala Minister and Congress leader KK Ramachandran Master passed away in Kozhikode in the wee hours of Thursday. He was 78 and passed away due to a cardiac arrest, reports Mathrubhumi. Ramachandran has held various portfolios in the UDF governments led by Oommen Chandy and AK Antony as Chief Ministers.
Ramachandran has been elected to the Kerala legislative assembly six times, thrice from Wayanad’s Sulthan Bathery and thrice from Kalpetta in the same district. He held the post of Minister of Food and Civil Supplies from 1995 to ‘96 and was the Health Minister from 2004 to ‘06.
Ramachandran had held various positions in the Congress party. Rising from being the secretary of Kozhikode District Congress Committee, he held the positions of General Secretary of KPCC and was also the President of Kozhikode DCC. However, in 2011, he was ousted from the Congress party, reportedly after an alleged graft case. Though he was reinstated in the party after a couple of years, he was denied any position.
Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the death of the Congress leader.
Condoling the death, Ramesh Chennithala said he had close ties with Ramachandran Master. “I was able to work with him in the assembly in 1982 and 1987. He was someone who did good work as a Minister,” said Chennithala.
He also added that Ramachandran Master played a major role in building the party in Wayanad, after the district was formed. With his demise, one more top leader of Malabar (northern Kerala) has been lost.
(With PTI inputs)