Vakkom Purushothaman, a prominent political figure in Kerala’s history, breathed his last at the age of 96. He began his political journey as an activist of the Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) in 1952 and secured a seat in the Vakkom panchayat council on the party ticket. However, fate took a turn when former Chief Minister R. Shankar recognized his political acumen during his legal practice at the Thiruvananthapuram Bar. Mr. Purushothaman was persuaded to leave RSP and join the Congress.
Despite initial setbacks, Vakkom Purushothaman’s determination led him to taste victory in the 1970 Assembly elections, where he defeated the veteran Kattayikonam Sreedharan of CPI(M) to represent the Attingal Assembly constituency for the Congress. He further solidified his position by retaining Attingal in the 1977, 1980, and 1982 State elections.
His political journey was not limited to the Congress party alone. During the ‘A’ group split from the Congress, he aligned himself with the Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, serving as the Health and Tourism Minister in the 1980 E.K. Nayanar government.
In 1984, he displayed his electoral prowess once again, securing victory in the Alappuzha Lok Sabha constituency by defeating CPI(M) leader Susheela Gopalan.
After his distinguished career in electoral politics, Vakkom Purushothaman assumed the role of Lieutenant Governor in Andaman Nicobar, and subsequently served as the Governor of Mizoram and Meghalaya.
With his passing, Kerala mourns the loss of a seasoned politician and a dedicated public servant who contributed significantly to the state’s governance and welfare. His legacy will be remembered for years to come.