Thiruvananthapuram: Kerala Congress (B) Senior leader,  Chairman and former Minister R. Balakrishna Pillai (86) passed away. He died at a private hospital in Kottarakkara due to age-related illnesses. Balakrishna Pillai’s son KB Ganesh Kumar announced the news of his death.

Pillai, who had been admitted to a private hospital in Kottarakkara with breathing difficulties, was shifted to a hospital here after his condition worsened on Friday.

The veteran leader had been holding the office of Chairman, Kerala State Welfare Corporation for Forward Communities. He was also the Chairman of Kerala Congress (B) and a Director Board Member of the Nair Service Society (NSS). He was a member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1960,1965,1977,1980,1982,1987,1991,2001. Pillai last contested the Assembly elections in 2006.

Pillai entered active politics through the Congress. He later became one of the founding leaders of the Kerala Congress when it was formed in 1964.  He was also associated with the Thiruvithamcore (Travancore) Students’ Union, which later became the Thiru-Kochi Students’ Federation.

Pillai, who later joined the Congress, functioned as a member of both the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee and All-India Congress Committee. He was among the 15 Congress legislators who quit the party and joined hands with KM George to form the Kerala Congress in 1964.

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