Thiruvananthapuram: Dr Boben Thomas, the oncologist who treated late CPM leader Kodiyeri Balakrishnan, remembered the former party state secretariat as an individual with unflinching willpower and determination. 

"He showed his willpower to attend the party events despite being in advanced stage of Pancreas Cancer. At times when he showed improvements while in ICU, he was desperate to leave the hospital and resume party activities. Despite our concerns, he always assured us with a smile that nothing will happen," he said in a Facebook post. 

Boben Thomas, treating Kodiyeri for the last three years, said that he remembered the CPM leader to be a person who lived and breathed for the party. He paid his condolences and added that his absence will create a large vacuum in Kerala politics.