K R Gouri, the lone surviving member of the 1957 Communist Government in Kerala passed away on Tuesday. She was 102 and was suffering from age related issues. The end came at a private hospital in Thiruvananthapuram.
Alappuzha born Gouri was the Revenue Minister in the EMS Namboodirippadu-led Communist Government that ruled the State during 1957 to 1959. She was the leader who introduced the land reform act in Kerala which sounded the death knell of zamindari system in the State.
Before getting elected to the Kerala Assembly in 1957, Gouri served twice as member of the Travancore-Kochi Legislative Assembly. She was Minister in five Governments that led by Namboodirippadu, E K Nayanar, A K Antony and Oommen Chandi.
She will be remembered as the best Chief Minister the State did not get, said a senior CPI(M) fellow traveller.
The CPI(M)’s campaign during the 1987 assembly election was “Keram Thingum Kerala Naadu K R Gowri Bharicheedum”, which when translated means Kerala, jampacked with coconut trees would be ruled by K R Gouri.
Though the CPI(M)-led LDF has scored an impressive victory in that election, the CPI(M) leadership dumped Gouri and made E K Nayanar, the Chief Minister. Gouri, who felt deceived and let down did not get over that “treachery” committed by the caste leaders of the party that included Namboodirippadu and Nayanar.
She was expelled from the CPI (M) in 1994 by Namboodirippadu and his faction allegedly for anti-party activities. But she retaliated by launching JSS, a political outfit which forged alliance with the Congress and became a part of the UDF.
Gowri had said in TV interviews that what upset and pained her most was the action of E M Sreedharan, son of Manboodirippadu who shouted at her calling her by caste name during a State Committee meeting prior to her expulsion from the party.
Gowri was a tough task master and an administrator known for integrity, honesty and dedication. Late Malayatoor Ramakrishnan, who was revenue board member, had mentioned that Gowri used to address him as boy. When Ramakrishnan pointed out to her the embarrassment he suffered because of that, Gowri reportedly told him that he was like her son and she could not help addressing him with any other “titles”.
Gowri was married to T V Thomas, CPI leader who too was a minister in the Namboodirippadu Government. But their marriage did not last because of Thomas’ relations with other women. Things came to a flashpoint in 1964 when the CPI got split. While Thomas remained with the parent body, Gowri walked out with other comrades and launched the CPI(M).
The last rites of Gowri were performed at the cemetery along the beach abutting the Arabian Sea in Alappuzha. Governor Arif Mohammed Khan, Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan and leaders across the political spectrum expressed their condolences over the demise of Gowri.
M A Baby, CPI(M) polit bureau member, A Vijayaraghavan , acting secretary of the Kerala unit of the party, who played major role in Gowri’s expulsion from the CPI(M) covered her mortal remains with the party flag before seeing it off to Alappuzha.