Malappuram: Former Malappuram District Panchayat President and the Dalit League leader A P Unnikrishnan (60) died here on Friday.  He was known as the Dalit face of the Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and a close associate of the Panakkad family.  He was serving as the district panchayat member of Trikkalangod in Malappuram district at present.

A P Unnikrishnan was severely ill for a month and was undergoing treatment in Thiruvananthapuram.  He was brought to Parappanangadi on Thursday and died at a palliative centre there.  Unnikrishnan served as the District Panchayat President of Malappuram from 2015-2020.  He also served as a district panchayat member in the term 2000-2005.  Unnikrishnan had been a member of the Khadi Board and Scheduled Caste State Advisor committee member.  He was the former general secretary of the Dalit League, an organisation under IUML.

The body has been kept for public homage at the Malappuram District Panchayat office.  He is survived by his wife Sushama and children Sudheesh, Sajith, Smiji and Sarath.
“Unnikrishnan was the secular face of IUML.  He was not just considered as a representative of a section of the party in fact, he was one of the prominent leaders of IUML.  He played a crucial role in polishing the secular face of IUML,'' IUML leader P K Kunalikkutty said in his condolence message.