V. J. Thankappan

Vattavilakathu Johnson Thankappan is a communist politician from Kerala.

He was born on 20 April 1934 at Aralummoodu to Johnson and Gnanamma. He married Bella and has three sons and a daughter. He is known for playing a crucial role during the implementation of decentralisation project in Kerala. He died on 9 March 2019.

Political life Thankappan entered politics by his activism in the Communist Party of India from 1963. After the split in the party, he chose to remain with Communist Party of India (Marxist). He was the Councillor of Neyyattinkara Municipality during the period 1968 to 1979. He became its Chairman of the Municipality in 1979 and remained in office till 1984. He has also acted as the Vice- Chairman of Third Administrative Reforms Committee, and has headed the Committee on Decentralisation of Administration. During this period where V S Achuthanandan Government was formed, he acted as the pro-tem Speaker of the house.