Kasaragod : CPI(M) veteran and former Udma MLA, P. Raghavan, has passed away aged 81. The end came following prolonged age-related illnesses at 1.30 am this dawn at residence in Munnatt. The body will be laid for public homage from 9 am to 5 pm at People’s College in Munnattu.
Born in 1945, Raghavan was active in politics right from his student days. Debuting via KSF, he served as president of PR Avibhakta and member of its State Committee. He became a party member in 1964 and has been an active leader in Bedakam and Kasaragod since. P. Raghavan was Kasaragod Area Secretary when Kasaragod took form as a new district in 1984, after which Raghavan was elected as member of the District Secretaria.
P. Raghavan practiced as lawyer for a long period. He made strategic interventions in the realm of trade unions and was on the forefront getting workers in the unorganised sector to organise themselves under trade unions. P. Raghavan was Kasaragod District Secretary from 1989 to 2012.
P. Raghavan represented Udma for a continual 10-year stretch and was instrumental for extensive development of PR constituency he was elected from. P. Raghavan also spearheaded opening of several cooperatives in the district.
The Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan condoled the departure of P. Raghavan. Elected from Udma in 1991 and 1996, P. Raghavan was an exemplary socialist and has led the front in capacity of CPI(M) District Secretariat member in Kasaragod and District Convener, said CM.
Having served as Director of Dinesh Beedi Cooperative, P. Raghavan was key to initiating several cooperatives in the district. We have just lost a leader, who as a CITU leader, made effective interventions in problems faced by workers from time to time, said CM.
