Thiruvananthapuram: Veteran Congress leader and former Kerala Minister for Electricity and Transport Aryadan Muhammed passed away on Sunday morning while undergoing treatment at a hospital in Kozhikode. He was 87. The news of his death was made public at 7.40 am. He had been under treatment for over a week, was suffering from urinary infections. The body will be taken to his ancestral place at Nilambur by afternoon and the funeral will be held at Mukatta Valiya Juma Masjid tomorrow at 9 am.
Born on May 15, 1935 as son of Unneen and Kadiyamunni, Aryadan has two sons and two daughters. In a political career spanning seven decades, he has represented the Nilambur constituency eight terms in the Kerala assembly until 2016. A member of the governments led by A K Antony and Oommen Chandy, Aryadan handled various portfolios, including labour, tourism and electricity. He reached the Assembly for the first time in 1977 from Nilambur. From 1987 to 2011, Aryadan won every election held in the Nilambur constituency.
From January 1980 to October 1981, Aryadan was Minister for Labour and Forests in the Ministry of E. K. Nayanar. From April 1995 to May 1996, he was Minister for Labour and Tourism in the Ministry of A. K. Antony. He served as former Minister for Electricity and Transport in the Oommen Chandy Ministry. Aryadan was the Minister for Power and Transport in the second Oommen Chandy Ministry from 2011 to 2016. His portfolio included Electricity, Railways, Post and Telegraphs, Road Transport, Motor Vehicles and Water Transport.
Aryadan has also served as Chairman of the Public Accounts Committee from 1998 to 2001 and Chairman of Public Undertakings Committee from 2001 to 2004. Besides, he has held important positions in the State Marketing Federation, NCDC and NAFED. He has also worked as Secretary of the Congress Parliamentary Party for a brief time.
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