K. Radhakrishnan (politician)

K. Radhakrishnan
Radakrishnan at Kerala Padana Congress 2015 at Thrissur
Speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly
In office 3 June 2006 – 13 May 2011
Preceded by	Therambil Ramakrishnan
Succeeded by	G. Karthikeyan
Personal details
Born	Thrissur
Political party	Communist Party of India (Marxist)
Residence	Thrissur, Kerala

K. Radhakrishnan is a Communist Party of India (Marxist) politician from Thrissur and a former member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly from Chelakkara Assembly Constituency. He was the minister of Youth Affairs & SC-ST Affairs in the third E. K. Nayanar ministry from 1996 to 2001 and also the speaker of Kerala legislative assembly from 2006 to 2011. He became active in politics from a very humble and poor background rising to the rank of a minister in a short span of time.

He was born in 1964 on may 24 in idduki district in kerala state. His parents are M.C kochunni and chinamma, and his father was a plantation worker. He completed his primary education in Thonuurkara UP school. He completed his high school education at chelakara SMTGHS. Radhakrishnan went for higher studies in vadakanchery Vyasa college and Sree kerala varma college and while doing BA graduation, he entered into political activities.

He was an active member in SFI, holding posts like unit secretary of kerala varma college, chelakara area secretary, and member of thrisur district secretariat as an SFI leader. He also worked as chelakara block committee secretary and state committee member of DYFI, and he is now CPI(M) state committee member. Radhakrishnan was elected to the Thrissur District Council in 1991 from the Vallathol Nagar division. He was elected to the Assembly in 1996, 2001 and 2006. He served as Minister for the Welfare of Backward and Scheduled Communities and Youth Affairs from 1996 to 2001. He was Opposition Chief Whip from 2001 to 2006.

Leading student’s agitations against the Education Policy of the Government during 1982-87, he was arrested and tortured by the police. Radhakrishnan vigorously involved himself in the problems of Agricultural laborers and organized them. He also participated in the activities of Kerala Sastra Sahitya Parishad and Total Literacy Movement.

K Radhakrishnan is the 18th Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. Radhakrishnan was elected Speaker by 93 votes to 40 secured by the Opposition United Front (UDF) candidate M. Murali of the Congress.

K Radhakrishnan on behalf of Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) briefed reporters on 5th Nov 2016 to announce the suspension of P.N. Jayanthan in the wake of rape charges against him. While making the statement announcing the suspension of Jayanthan before the media, Radhakrishnan named the gangrape victim. When prodded by journalists not to reveal the name of the victim, he sternly said, “So you can name Jayanthan , but you can’t name the victim? That’s not right.”. This has invited stern criticism from various quarters as naming the rape victim violates Section 228A in The Indian Penal Code.