Thrissur, Saturday 25 December 2010: Senior Congress leader and four times Kerala Chief Minister, K Karunakaran, was cremated with full state honours, shortly after Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, paid his respects to the late leader.

After the family members performed last rituals, a gun salute was accorded to the late leader. Seva dal volunteers also paid their respects shortly before Karunakaran’s son K Muraleedharan lit the funeral pyre adjacent to the tomb of his mother, Kalyanikutti Amma, who died 15 years ago.

The cremation was held at ‘Muralimandiram’, 93-year-old Karunakaran’s house at nearby Poonkunnam. Setting aside Protocol, Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, flew down to Kerala today to pay his respects to erstwhile cabinet colleague. Karunakaran was also Union Industries minister in the late P V Narasimha Rao cabinet along with Dr Singh during the nineties.

After placing a wreath at the late leaders ‘body, Prime Minister spoke to K Muralidharan and Padmaja Venugopgal, son and daughter respectively of Karunakaran. Dr Singh also spoke to Karunakaran’s younger brother, Appunni Marar, and told him that the congress veteran was a ‘good colleague’.

Soon after the Prime minister left the town hall, Karunakaran’s body was taken to the DCC office for a brief while and then to the leader’s house for cremation. Congress President, Sonia Gandhi, had paid her respects to Karunakaran yesterday at Thiruvananthapuram.

Union ministers A K Antony, Mullappally Ramachandran, Vayalar Ravi, K V Thomas, state Ministers– Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, MA Baby, K P Rajendran, Kadannappally Ramachandran, and Jose Thettayil, Opposition leader Oommen chandy, KPCC President Ramesh Chennithala were among those present at the cremation today.

Earlier report

Kollam

Hundreds of people from all walks of life lined up on the sides of the National Highway 47 and at the specially erected ‘pandal’ at the Cantonment Maidan here to get a last glimpse of senior Congress leader K. Karunakaran, who passed away on Thursday.

Though the original plan was to keep his body inside the pandal for a few minutes for the people of Kollam to pay their last respects, the move was dropped because of the huge crowd and also because the hearse arrived very late.

The body was accompanied by the late leader’s son K. Muraleedharan, KPCC president Ramesh Chennithala, Leader of the Opposition Oommen Chandy, K. Sudhakaran, MP, and DCC president Kadavur Sivadasan.

Though it was informed in the morning that the hearse carrying Karunakaran’s body would arrive at the Cantonment Maidan by 3.30 p.m., it arrived only by 7 p.m. Right from 3 p.m. the maidan and the road sides were crowded with mourners. As the hearse arrived some were seen in tears.

Among those who arrived at the Cantonment maidan to pay their last respects to Karunakaran were Mayor Prasanna Earnest, senior Congress leaders Thennala Balakrishna Pillai and C.V. Padmarajan, Deputy Mayor G. Lalu, the district chairman of the UDF, Sooranad Rajashekaran, monsignor Ferdinand Kayavil, Kodikunnil Suresh MP, INTUC leader V. Sathyaseelan, CPI leader Pannyan Ravindran, CMP leader M.H. Shariyar, managing editor of Kerala Shabdam B.A. Rajakrishnan, district president of Indian Union Muslim League A. Younus Kunju and Congress leader E. Marydasan.

Kochi

With undying memories of the moments they shared with the departed leader, hundreds of Congress workers reached Vytilla on Friday to bid adieu to former Chief Minister and senior Congress leader K. Karunakaran. The city and the Congress workers from here had a special place in the life of the departed leader.

The Panampilly Nagar residence of his daughter Padmaja Venugopal, where he camped when in Kochi, was second home to a large number of Congress workers. It was from Kochi that a bold Karunakaran led many a battles both inside and outside the party.

Many of the Congress leaders and ordinary workers who reached Vytilla Junction, where facilities for the public to pay homage was arranged, shared a personal account of care and affection showered on them by the leader.

Congress workers started flocking at the Vyttila junction in the evening itself even though they knew that the hearse would reach the city only in the wee hours of Saturday. The District Congress Committee had made arrangements for the party workers and general public to pay homage to their leader.

The party flags in the area flew half mast and many party workers were seen wearing badges with the picture of the Congress leader printed on it as a mark of homage.

Those who were present at the venue to pay homage included the Kochi Mayor Tony Chammany, the Deputy Mayor Bhadra Satish, K. Babu, MLA; Charles Dias, M.P.; the UDF convener P. P. Thankachan and the DCC president V.J. Poulose.

Thrissur

Thrissur is bracing up to receive tens of thousands of visitors for the funeral of Congress veteran K. Karunakaran on Saturday. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Union Ministers and political leaders from different States are expected to attend the funeral at Murali Mandiram at Punkunnam. Karunakaran will be cremated near the memorial of his wife Kalyanikutty Amma on the premises of Murali Mandiram.

KPCC treasurer C.N. Balakrishnan and Karunakaran’s close associate T.V. Chandramohan were actively monitoring the pre-funeral planning. Union Defence Minister A.K. Antony arrived here on Friday night to supervise arrangements.

Antony told reporters that the Prime Minister would arrive at Thrissur around 11.45 a.m. to pay his last respects to the leader. “That the Prime Minister and Congress president decided to fly down to Kerala to pay homage to Karunakaran shows his importance in the Congress,” Antony said. A District Congress Committee spokesman said that Karunakaran’s body will be kept at the Town Hall from 7 a.m. to 11 a.m. for the public to pay homage.

It will then be taken to the DCC office and Murali Mandiram. “Entry will be restricted at the DCC office and Murali Mandiram,” the spokesman said. Elaborate security arrangements will be in place in view of the Prime Minister’s visit. “Thrissur is scrambling to be ready for a big influx of people,” a senior police official said.

Traffic restrictions will be imposed in the city from 6 a.m. Parking will not be allowed at the Swaraj Round. An all-party condolence meeting will be held at the Thekkinkad Maidan at 5 p.m.

Thousands thronged the Congress headquarters and at the Darbar Hall here on Friday to bid adieu to former Chief Minister of Kerala and Veteran Leader, K. Karunakaran, who died at a private hospital here on Thursday. The funeral procession carrying the mortal remains of K Karunakaran started off to his home town in Poonkunnam, Thrissur which is the epicenter of Leader’s political career for decades.

Earlier his body was kept at Indira Bhavan and Durbar Hall for the public to pay homage. Arrangements are also made for the party activists and the public to pay homage at Kollam Contentment ground, Alappuzha Town Hall, Ernakulum and in Vyttila.

Veteran Congress leader and political stalwart, K Karunakaran who died at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram, is leaving behind a strong political legacy. Karunakaran leaves behind not just a sterling legacy, but also an unmatched era of inimitable and determined governance.

Karunakaran was close to the Nehru family from the time of Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru. His relationship with the Gandhi family and the Congress Party culminated and pinnacled during the tenure of former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi.

K Karunakaran’s death is a huge loss for the Kerala Politics. Karunakaran has served in various political positions, including being the Chief Minister and the Home Minister. He was one of the greatest congress leaders of Kerala and is considered as one of the most visible political icon in Kerala. His death has been mourned across the country.

People from all walks of life thronged the Darbar hall to pay last their tributes to the mortal remains of the Leader. Thousand gathered at the Indira Bhavan and Leader’s residence ‘Kalyani’ in Nathancode, to bid adieu to the famous stalwart leader. Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Congress president Sonia Gandhi paid their last respects to former Congress chief minister K. Karunakaran.

He was admitted to the Ananthapuri Hospital on December 10 with fever and uneasiness and was diagnosed with chest and urinary infection. K Muraleedharan and Padmaja Venugopal were in the hospital during the time of his death. Congress leaders, supporters and many from different walks of life thronged the hospital after hearing the news.

Karunakaran joined politics through Indian National Congress. Right from the start, he had been a great national activist and participated in the Indian freedom struggle, during which was arrested and jailed in many occasions. His made great contribution towards the trade union activities as well.

Karunakaran joined politics through Indian National Congress. Right from the start, he had been a great national activist and participated in the Indian freedom struggle, during which was arrested and jailed in many occasions. His made great contribution towards the trade union activities as well.

(News agency)