Senior BJP leader Sukumaran Nambiar passes away

Son of legendary actor late M N Nambiar,the soft-spoken leader is believed to have enjoyed a good rapport with BJP veteran L K Advani and AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa.

A former military instructor,Sukumaran was seen instrumental in firming up alliance between the two parties in 1998 and 2004.

An industrialist by profession,Nambiar had unsuccessfully contested the 2004 Lok Sabha polls,losing to DMK’s C Kuppuswamy from North Chennai constituency.

Chief Minister Jayalalithaa condoled Nambiar’s death,describing him as a “true patriot”.

“His death is indeed a great loss to the Bharatiya Janata Party. In his passing away,we have lost a true patriot and a person who untiringly served society,” she said in an official statement.

Nambiar was an expert in several martial arts,with a black belt in Karate,she said,adding he had also trained Indian Army personnel in the same.

“Like his father,Nambiar evinced keen interest in spiritualism and was the President of the All India Ayyappa Seva Sangam,” Jayalalithaa said.