Senior CPI leader and Peerumade MLA Vazhoor Soman passed away on Thursday at the age of 72 following a cardiac arrest. The incident occurred while he was attending a session of the Revenue Assembly at the Institute of Land and Disaster Management (ILDM) in PTP Nagar, Thiruvananthapuram, according to the Revenue Minister’s office.
Soman reportedly collapsed during the session and was immediately administered first aid. He was then shifted to a private hospital in Sasthamangalam, but doctors were unable to save him.
Condolences from Kerala Leadership
Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan expressed deep grief over Soman’s demise. In a condolence message, he remembered the veteran leader as a popular legislator who rose through the trade union movement.
He praised Soman’s dedication to addressing people’s issues both inside and outside the Assembly and highlighted his steadfast commitment to labour rights. “Soman was a workers’ leader who always stood firm in defending the interests of the working class,” Vijayan said.
Early Life and Political Career
Born on September 14, 1952, in Vazhur, Kottayam district, to Kunju Pappan and Parvathi, Soman entered public life in 1974 through the All India Students’ Federation (AISF).
He was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2021 from the Peerumade constituency, defeating Congress candidate Syriac Thomas by a margin of 1,835 votes.
Key Positions and Achievements
- Over his long political career, Soman held several significant positions:
- Chairman, Welfare Standing Committee, Idukki District Panchayat
- Chairman, Kerala State Warehousing Corporation
- Vice President, AITUC Kerala
- Member of the AITUC National Working Committee
He was regarded as a pillar of Kerala’s trade union movement and was well-known for his labor and workers’ rights actions.
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Legacy and Remembrance
Soman’s death marks the loss of a veteran workers’ leader and a committed public servant. His lifelong commitment to public service and the working class has been highlighted by the condolences expressed by party comrades, civic leaders, and workers throughout Kerala.
