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Ramesh Chennithala

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Ramesh Chennithala
Ramesh Chennithala
Leader of the Opposition of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
29 May 2016
GovernorP. Sathasivam
Arif Mohammad Khan
Preceded byV. S. Achuthanandan
Minister of Home Affairs, Kerala
In office
1 January 2014 – 20 May 2016
Preceded byThiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan
Succeeded byPinarayi Vijayan
Minister of Rural Development, Kerala
In office
5 June 1986 – 25 March 1987
Preceded byN. Sundaran Nadar
Succeeded byT. Sivadasa Menon
President of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee
In office
2005–2014
Preceded byK. Muraleedharan
Succeeded byV. M. Sudheeran
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
for Haripad (State Assembly constituency)
Incumbent
Assumed office
1 June 2011
In office
1982–1989
Member of Parliament
for Kottayam
In office
1989–1998
Preceded byK. Suresh Kurup
Succeeded byK. Suresh Kurup
Member of Parliament
for Mavelikara
In office
1999–2004
Preceded byP. J. Kurien
Succeeded byC. S. Sujatha
Personal details
Born (1956-05-25) 25 May 1956 (age 68)
Mavelikkara, Travancore-Cochin, India
Political partyCongress (I)
Spouse
Anita Ramesh
​
(m. 1986)​
[1]
Children2 (including Rohit Chennithala)
Alma materUniversity of Kerala

Ramesh Chennithala (born 25 May 1956) is an Indian politician, affiliated to the Indian National Congress, and the Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly since 2016.[2] He has served as the state Home Minister in the Government of Kerala. He holds the record of being the youngest Minister in the State of Kerala at the age of 30.[3]

He has also served as Member of Parliament for four terms and member of Legislative assembly for three terms. He has represented the highest body of Indian National Congress, the Congress Working Committee (CWC) in 2004.[4]

Early life

He was born at Chennithala, Mavelikara in Kerala, India on 25 May 1956 to V. Ramakrishnan Nair and Devakiamma.[5] He studied Bachelor of Arts (B.A) degree in Economics and Bachelor of Laws (LL.B).[6]

Political career

Ramesh Chennithala during a march at Kanhangad.

Ramesh Chennithala started political life from early school days. In 1970, he became the Kerala Students Union (KSU) Chennithala HS Unit Secretary. He subsequently held series of positions in KSU, ( Mavelikkara Taluk General Secretary - 1971, SU Alleppey District Treasurer - 1972, KSU Alleppey District Secretary -1973, KSU State Executive Member - 1975, KSU State Vice President - 1978) becoming the KSU State President in 1980.[7]

In 1982, he became All India President of National Students Union of India and later, in the same year got elected as MLA from Haripad Constituency. In 1985, he became the General Secretary of Indian Youth Congress (I) and went on to become the youngest Minister (Rural Development) in the Ministry of K. Karunakaran in 1986 at the age of 28.[8] In 1986, he became the President of Kerala Pradesh Youth Congress (I), Kerala and in 1987 he was re-elected as MLA from Haripad Constituency.[9]

In 1989 he was elected as Member of Parliament from Kottayam Parliamentary Constituency and became National President, Indian Youth Congress (I) in 1990.[10] Incumbent West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee was part of this committee.

Ramesh Chennithala along with the delegates from UAE.

Later in 1991, 1996 and 1999 he was re-elected to Parliament.[11] He received rich accolades for his fiery speeches in Hindi and English during his tenure. In 2001 he became the AICC Secretary with independent charge of seven states and in 2002 with independent charge of five states. In 2004, he was selected to the highest body of Indian National Congress, the Congress Working Committee (CWC )[12].

He was also member of various committees including Consultative Committee for Commerce; Labour and Welfare Committee; Central Committee for 125th Birth Anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi; Central Committee for Birth Centenary of Subhash Chandra Bose; Finance Committee-Lok Sabha; H.R.D. Standing Committee; Public Accounts Committee; Coir Board; Civil aviation Consultative Committee; and Joint Parliamentary Committee on Pesticides in Soft Drinks and Fruit Drinks. Other important positions held include - KPCC President, AICC Secretary, Indian Youth Congress National President, President- Pradesh Youth Congress (I) Kerala.

Ramesh giving Golden Trophy to the winners of Kerala School Kalolsavam, Asia's biggest cultural event.

In 2005, he returned to the State politics to become President of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee. In 2011, for the third time, he was re-elected as MLA from Haripad Constituency. In 2014, he was sworn in as the Home Minister of Kerala.[13] His "Operation Kubera" project was intended to stop the reign of illegal money lenders in the State.[14] "Clean campus safe campus" project was to stop the usage of drugs in campus.[15]

On January 8, 2019, while addressing media in Thiruvananthapuram, Chennithala stated that his decision to appoint T. P. Senkumar as DGP was "the biggest mistake of my life and I regret the decision,". Chennithala added that Senkumar was made DGP overruling another officer and the decision proved wrong. "We all are bearing the burden of this decision. I took the decision thinking to let a Malayali become the DGP. But now, I regret it," he added. He had earlier criticized the chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan for removing Senkumar from the post on numerous occasions. His public apology comes months later when Senkumar's extreme right-wing ideals are public.[16]

He shared the dais with Kerala chief minister Pinarayi Vijayan at a joint protest organised by the ruling CPM-led LDF to express his views on the CAA, leader of the opposition Ramesh Chennithala said he has moved a petition challenging the Act. [17] This is drew criticism from KPCC President Mullappally Ramachandran. However, KPCC vice-president V.D. Satheesan, MLA, stated that the protest against CAA and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC) was a fight for a common cause[18]

Personal life

Minister

Ramesh Chennithala holds the record of being the youngest minister in the state at the age of 29.[19]

Ministries

Then he became the Member of Parliament for a long period and came back to state politics in 2005 and became the President of state Congress Party.

After the 2016 Kerala election, he became the Leader of Opposition of the state.[20]

Leader of Opposition

A meeting held by the Congress leaders on 29 May 2016, chose Ramesh Chennithala as the Leader of Opposition of Kerala Niyamasabha.[21] Under his leadership the UDF emerged victorious in 2019 Indian general election by winning 19 out of 20 seats in Kerala. This was their biggest victory in the elections after the 1977 election.

References

  1. ^ Parlement of India
  2. ^ "Ramesh Chennithala elected as new opposition leader". Times of India. 29 May 2016. Retrieved 30 May 2016.
  3. ^ "Congress Elects Ramesh Chennithala as Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly".
  4. ^ "Congress Elects Ramesh Chennithala as Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly".
  5. ^ "Ramesh Chennithala-keralaassembly.org".
  6. ^ "KERALA LEGISLATURE - MEMBERS".
  7. ^ "Congress Elects Ramesh Chennithala as Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly".
  8. ^ "Congress Elects Ramesh Chennithala as Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly".
  9. ^ "Congress Elects Ramesh Chennithala as Leader of Opposition in Kerala Assembly".
  10. ^ "Chennithala elected as CLP leader in Kerala".
  11. ^ "Chennithala elected as CLP leader in Kerala".
  12. ^ "Chennithala elected as CLP leader in Kerala".
  13. ^ "Chennithala sworn in Kerala Home Minister". The Hindu. January 2014.
  14. ^ "Chennithala sworn in Kerala Home Minister". The Hindu. January 2014.
  15. ^ "Anti-drug campaign to be extended to colleges". The Hindu. 27 June 2015.
  16. ^ "Appointing Senkumar as DGP biggest mistake of my life, says Chennithala".
  17. ^ "Kerala govt, Oppn speak with one voice at anti-CAA protest".
  18. ^ "Kerala Congress rift wide open: Mullappally, Satheesan spar over joint anti-CAA protest".
  19. ^ "Chennithala elected as CLP leader in Kerala".
  20. ^ "Chennithala elected as CLP leader in Kerala".
  21. ^ "Election aftermath: Can Ramesh Chennithala save the Congress in Kerala?".
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