Changanassery: Kerala Congress deputy chairman and Changanassery MLA C F Thomas passed away here on Sunday. He was undergoing treatment at the Thiruvalla Believers Church hospital. He was 81 yeras old.

Thomas entered politics in 1956 as an activist of KSU. He joined Kerala Congress in 1964 and is a founder member of the party. He was elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1980, 1982, 1987, 1991, 1996, 2001, 2006, 2011 and 2016, representing the Changanassery constituency.

Before entering politics, he was a teacher at St. Berchmans Higher Secondary School Changancherry.

Thomas was a minister in the A K Antony Ministry of the previous UDF government, and held the portfolios for Registration, Rural Development, Khadi and Village Industries.

He was a close confidante of late Kerala Congress (M) leader K M Mani.

Thomas got associated with the P J Joseph faction in the Kerala Congress(M) due to the rift between two groups in the party following Mani's death in April last year.