Karunakaran was a visionary, says President

President Pratibha Patil, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi led the nation in mourning the death of former Kerala Chief Minister K Karunakaran, hailing him as a "visionary" leader and a "true patriot."

Prime Minister Singh will attend Karunakaran's funeral in Thrissur on Saturday, an official said tonight. In her condolence message, Patil said the nation has lost the "longest serving public figure and a visionary." "The nation has lost a personality who was always in touch with grassroots," she added.

Vice President Hamid Ansari noted that Karunakaran had a "significant record" of service to the country and especially to the state of Kerala during his many years in public life. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Karunakaran was a true patriot who served the country and Kerala with deep commitment and untiring zeal in a public career spanning more than six decades. Singh said he had the privilege of benefitting from Karunakaran's wisdom and experience many times. "He was generous with his advice, which was always sagacious," he said, adding the former chief minister was widely respected for his qualities of head and heart.

Sonia Gandhi said the party has lost a national leader who was a voice of secularism and national integrity. "In his death, the Congress party has lost not only a great leader from Kerala but also a national leader who was a voice for secularism and national integrity. In his death, the Congress party has lost a great leader whose absence will be deeply felt by all Congressmen across the country," Gandhi said in her condolence message.

External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said Karunakaran was a political stalwart and "tall" leader of the Congress party who served the nation with distinction and acumen. Krishna said that Karunakaran during his several innings as chief minister of Kerala was instrumental in bringing about rapid socio-economic development of the state.

Union Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad said Karunakaran will be remembered for his "kind-heartedness and his down-to-earth behaviour."