K. Karunakaran | |
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കെ. കരുണാകരന് | |
Chief Minister of Kerala | |
In office 25 March 1977 – 25 April 1977 |
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Preceded by | C. Achutha Menon |
Succeeded by | A.K. Antony |
In office 28 December 1981 – 17 March 1982 |
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Preceded by | A.K. Antony |
Succeeded by | President's Rule |
In office 24 May 1982 – 25 May 1987 |
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Preceded by | President's Rule |
Succeeded by | E K Nayanar |
In office 24 June 1991 – 16 May 1995 |
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Preceded by | E K Nayanar |
Succeeded by | A.K. Antony |
Minister of Home Affairs Kerala State | |
In office 25 September 1971 – 25 March 1977 |
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Preceded by | C. Achutha Menon |
Succeeded by | K M Mani |
Minister of Industries Government of India | |
In office 1995–1996 |
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Member of Legislative Assembly | |
In office 1967–1996 |
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Constituency | Mala (7 Terms) |
Member of Parliament Lok Sabha | |
In office 1998–1999 |
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Constituency | Thiruvananthapuram |
In office 1999–2004 |
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Constituency | Mukundapuram |
Member of Parliament Rajya Sabha | |
In office 1995–1997 |
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In office 1997–1998 |
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In office 2004–2005 |
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Member of Travancore-Cochin Legislative Assembly | |
In office 1 July 1949 – 23 March 1956 |
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Member of Kochi Legislative Assembly | |
In office 1948–1949 |
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Councillor of Thrissur | |
In office 1945–1948 |
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Personal details | |
Born |
Chirakkal, Cannanore, British India |
5 July 1918
Died | 23 December 2010 Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India |
(aged 92)
Political party | Indian National Congress |
Spouse(s) | Kalyanikutty Amma 1954-1993 (m. 2017) |
Children | K. Muraleedharan, Padmaja Venugopal |
Residence | Thrissur, Thiruvananthapuram |
As of 2 November, 2007 Source: [Government of Kerala] |
Kannoth Karunakaran (5 July 1918 – 23 December 2010) was a politician and a former Chief Minister of Kerala, India belonging to the Indian National Congress party. He was close to Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. Karunakaran is the founder of United Democratic Front (UDF) and coalition Government system in Kerala.
In 1937, Karunakaran joined the flood relief camps that were conducted by V.R. Krishnan Ezhuthachan, C. Achyutha Menon, R.M. Manakkalath and other leaders of Prajamandalam, an early freedom struggle movement in Cochin State. He became a member of the Indian National Congress and began to wear Khadi. He also participated intensively in the trade union activities in the vast Thattil rubber estates where his uncle Raghavan Nair was a 'writer'. During this time, he would spare his artistic skills and labour in helping the workers' union (later INTUC) for their wall writings and campaigns. Gradually, he was picked up by Panampilly Govinda Menon as his most favourite follower. In due course, Karunakaran rose to a level of the senior-most Leader of the Indian National Trade Union Congress (INTUC). The INTUC later became one of the largest trade unions in India having with over 4 million memberships today. He went on to become the Thrissur District Congress Committee President, after which he was elected to the Cochin Legislative Assembly twice before the formation of Kerala State. He contested in the 1957 Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections against a strong trade unionist and an ex. congressmen, DR.A R Menon, when no one in the state Congress party came up front to oppose Mr. Menon. When the results came, Karunakaran lost by less than one thousand votes, and A R Menon was heard saying, "Nhan anu sarikku tottatu. (I am the one who really lost)." [edit]Karunakaran in power
Karunakaran was denied a Congress ticket in the 1960 Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections, after which he was allotted a ticket to contest from a strong Communist stronghold, Thrissur's Mala constituency in the 1965 Kerala Legislative Assembly Elections. Karunakaran surprised everyone by defeating the left front candidate by more than 3000 votes, and since represented the constituency in 1967, 1970, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1987, and 1991. He was first elected as the Congress Legislative Party leader in 1967. He took over the State Congress Legislative Party's machinery when Congress was down to only 9 MLAs in the assembly.