Death of Minister P. Chandrasekeran
M.P. Muttiah
Upcountry People’s Front leader and Community Development and Social
Inequity Eradication Minister Periyasamy Chandrasekeran passed away
after a brief illness at a private hospital yesterday morning.
Born in April 16, 1957 at Talawakelle he had his early education at
St. Patrick’s College, Talawakelle and Highlands College, Hatton.
He lost his father at the age of 18 and had to discontinue his
education to support his mother and six sisters.
He joined the Ceylon Workers’ Congress and served as the Talawakelle
District Organizer and later as the Vice President of the CWC in 1977.
He also led the youth wing of the CWC. His contribution was immense
for the victory of late S. Thondaman in the Nuwara Eliya District at the
General Elections in 1977 and thus helped to elect an Up-country Tamil
member to Parliament after 30 years.
His fight against communal elements in the Nuwara Eliya District won
the confidence of the youth.
He left the CWC in 1989 and formed the Upcountry People’s Front. He
contested Nuwara Eliya-Maskeliya seat in the same year and won.
Chandrasekeran served as a Member of the Lindula Urban Council and
District Development Council.
He was arrested by the police on three occasions. He was elected to
Central Provincial Council in 1993 while in detention.
Chandrasekeran was elected as a Member of Parliament in 1994, and his
only vote helped then Prime Minister Chandrika Bandaranaike Kumaratunga
to form the People’s Alliance Government. He was elected as an MP thrice
from 1994 to 2007.
The late UPF leader had served as the Deputy Minister of Trade and
Commerce in 1994. He was appointed as the Deputy Minister for Estate
Housing till 1999. He served as the Estate Infrastructure Minister in
2001 and later as the Minister of Community Development and Deputy
Minister of Irrigation and Water Management.
Chandrasekeran was appointed as the Community Development and Social
Inequity Eradication Minister in 2006 and held the portfolio until his
death.
President Mahinda Rajapaksa has appointed Minister Dinesh Gunawardena
to be in charge of funeral arrangements. |
