Senior Congress leader and former MP K.P. Dhanapalan passed away at Paravur, in Kochi, Kerala, on Saturday (May 30, 2026). He was 76. Mr. Dhanapalan breathed his last at a private hospital in Paravur where he was rushed to in the early hours of Saturday (May 30, 2026) after he felt some uneasiness.

His mortal remains were kept at Paravur Municipal Townhall by 10.30 a.m. for the public to pay homage. Mr. Dhanapalan was laid to rest at the Samoohya Seva Sangham crematorium at Thooniyakavu after final rites were held on his residential premises at Paravur in the evening with State honours. People from different walks of life, including Chief Minister V.D. Satheesan, Home Minister Ramesh Chennithala and District Collector G. Priyanka, attended the final rites.

A prominent face of the Congress in Ernakulam, Mr. Dhanapalan was elected to the Lok Sabha from Chalakudy constituency in 2009. However, he lost the Lok Sabha polls in 2014 after he was shifted to the Thrissur seat. He was a member of the Congress’ Political Affairs Committee.

He had served as the secretary and vice president of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee and the president of the Ernakulam District Congress Committee in his long political career that started with student activism. Before taking up organisational roles in the Congress, he had functioned as the Ernakulam district secretary of the Kerala Students Union and district president and State vice president of the Youth Congress.

He also served as councillor of the Paravur Municipality for 10 years.

Though he contested Assembly elections from Kodungalloor constituency in 1987 and 2016, he could not win. He was also withdrawn from the campaign front at the then Vadakkekkara Assembly constituency, where he was tipped to be the Congress candidate, in 2001 due to the factional feud within the party.

Tributes pour in

Tributes poured in for Mr. Dhanapalan from leaders following the news of his sudden demise. Mr. Satheesan remembered Mr. Dhanapalan as “a political personality who was keen not to hurt his party even by a word.”

“We could approach K.P. anytime with any request. He ensured a solution to every problem. Throughout his six years at the helm of the DCC, he worked by understanding the sentiments of the ordinary Congress workers,” Mr. Satheesan said in a statement.

AICC general secretary (organisation) K.C. Venugopal said Mr. Dhanapalan created an exemplary model in Congress politics by valuing party discipline above anything.

KPCC president and Electricity Minister Sunny Joseph remembered Mr. Dhanapalan as a leader who remained loyal to the party and an efficient organiser.CPI leader V.S. Sunilkuamar was among those who condoled his death.