Former Minister and Congress leader P. Cyriac John, 90, passed away here on Thursday night.
He had been suffering from memory loss for some time. The veteran Congress leader was first elected to the Kerala Assembly on a Congress (R) ticket from the Kalpetta segment in 1970. He represented the Thiruvambady seat in the next three elections.
Mr. John served as the Minister for Agriculture in the K. Karunakaran Cabinet from 1982 to 1983. It was during his tenure that Krishi Bhavans were set up in all grama panchayats across the State. He suffered defeat in the Assembly polls a couple of times.
Mr. John later severed his ties with the Congress and joined the Nationalist Congress Party and served as its State president for a few years. He returned to his parent party along with his followers in 2007.
Mr. John was born on June 11, 1933 as the son of Kadaplamattom John and Mariyamma near Pala in Kottayam. The family migrated to Kattippara in Kozhikode in the 1950s. He became active in the Congress by raising regional issues. Mr. John served as a member of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee and its executive wing too. He was part of the farmers’ wing of the party and the functionary of a local cooperative bank.
He is survived by his wife, three sons and two daughters. The final rites will be held on Friday.
