Thiruvananthapuram (Kerala)

Former Union Minister K.P. Unnikrishnan passed away at the age of 89 at a private hospital in Kozhikode on Monday. He was a prominent political figure who served as the Union Minister for Transport and for Information and Communications in the V. P. Singh cabinet (1989-90).

Chief Minister of Kerala, Pinarayi Vijayan, has expressed deep condolences on the demise of Former Union Minister K.P. Unnikrishnan. He said, "Unnikrishnan was a staunch advocate of secular politics and left a strong mark in the field of journalism".

He added that as a parliamentarian, Unnikrishnan was known for his strong interventions and played a courageous role both inside and outside Parliament in exposing scandals such as the Bofors case. He further described Unnikrishnan's leadership as unforgettable during the 1990 Gulf War.

"Unnikrishnan played a crucial role in bringing back more than 1.5 lakh Malayalis stranded in Kuwait. He even met Saddam Hussein at a secret centre in Baghdad during the war to expedite the evacuation process. The nation looked up to his firm and principled positions during critical moments. Respectful tributes to a powerful voice of India's democratic and secular tradition," Vijayan further added.

Unnikrishnan was elected to the Lok Sabha from the Vatakara constituency for six consecutive terms between 1971 and 1991. An accomplished diplomat and noted orator, he represented India at several international forums, including the United Nations.

He served as the Cabinet Minister in the VP Singh government, handling portfolios including Telecommunications, Shipping, and Surface Transport. He strongly opposed the rise of aggressive Hindutva politics led by Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) and worked to strengthen secular politics in the country. In the 1991 elections, he faced a common candidate backed by the Congress-Muslim League coalition, yet Unnikrishnan secured victory in the Vatakara constituency as the Left Democratic Front (LDF) candidate.

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Before entering active politics, Unnikrishnan worked as a journalist.

He began his political journey through socialist movements. After serving as President of the National Union of Students of India and as Secretary of the Bombay Samajwadi Yuvak Sabha, he joined the Congress in 1960. In Delhi, he worked closely with V. K. Krishna Menon and later became a close associate of Indira Gandhi. Following differences with Indira Gandhi, he joined Congress (U) and later Congress (S), where he served as All India General Secretary. He rejoined the Congress party in 1995.