Thiruvananthapuram, March 9 (IANS) Senior CPI-M leader and former Kerala Minister V.J. Thankappan passed away on Saturday near here, according to his family. He was 84.

Thankappan died following age-related issues at his home in the city suburbs, a family member said.

The four-time Communist party of India-Marxist MLA also served as the Minister for Local Administration in the E.K. Nayanar cabinet of 1987-91. He is survived by his wife and four children.

The Left leader had started off as a clerk in the Kerala State Road Transport Corporation but soon quit to plunge into full-time politics.

He first won from the Nemon assembly constituency in 1983 when he was elected in a bye-election. Subsequently he completed a hat trick from the same seat.

In 2006, he won from the suburban Neyattinkara parliamentary constituency, here.

Thankappan was a hugely popular leader and one who rose in the party through the ranks.

--IANS sg/in