Chennai, Nov 06: Former Puducherry MP and Minister P. Kannan, who also served as the Speaker of the Territorial Assembly, passed away at the age of 74 after a prolonged illness. He had been admitted to a private hospital a few days ago due to low blood pressure and breathing problems.
Mr. Kannan, a political veteran, began his career in the Indian Youth Congress and held key positions in the Youth Congress and Puducherry Pradesh Congress Committee. He served as the Puducherry Home Minister before parting ways with the Congress over differences with the local leadership. He then joined the Tamil Manila Congress, later merging the Puducherry faction with Congress.
However, Mr. Kannan’s political journey involved multiple shifts between different parties, including forming and merging his own political outfits such as the Puducherry Makkal Congress and the Puducherry Munnetra Congress. He was nominated to the Upper House of Parliament and later joined the AIADMK, contesting the 2016 Assembly elections unsuccessfully. Subsequently, he formed the Makkal Munnetra Congress, joined the BJP in 2021, and recently quit the party to protest against violence in Manipur.
His death due to viral pneumonia was confirmed by the hospital where he was undergoing treatment. Puducherry Chief Minister N. Rangasamy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M.K. Stalin, PMK Founder Dr. S. Ramadoss, and leaders from various parties expressed condolences on Mr. Kannan’s demise.
