P. Govinda Pillai no more

Thiruvananthapuram, Nov 23 (IANS) Veteran CPI-M leader P. Govinda Pillai passed away in a hospital here after age-related health problems, his family said Friday. He was 86.

Pillai, the soft spoken idealogue of the Communist Party of India-Marxist, died in a private hospital late Thursday. He is survived by his wife and two children, who are journalists.

Pillai, popularly known as PG, had been admitted to hospital about a week ago.

He began his political career as a Congress worker and joined the Communist Party of India in 1945. He moved to the CPI-M when the party split.

PG represented the Perumbavoor district in the first and third Kerala Assembly. Prior to that, he was a member of the Travancore legislative assembly in 1952-53.

A voracious reader, a popular orator and a very strong writer, PG had to face the wrath of his party on more than one occasion. He was demoted on breach of discipline when he criticised party leader E.M.S. Namboodiripad.

PG’S body will be brought to the party headquarters here and kept at the VJT Hall for the public to pay homage.

The body would be consigned to flames at 4 p.m. with full state honours at the electric crematorium here.