Ramesh Chennithala

Ramesh Chennitala MLA
Leader of the Opposition of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office 29 May 2016
Governor	P. Sathasivam
Preceded by	V. S. Achuthanandan
Minister of Home Affairs Kerala
In office 1 January 2014 – 20 May 2016
Preceded by	Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan
Succeeded by	Pinarayi Vijayan
Minister of Rural Development Kerala State
In office 5 June 1986 – 25 March 1987
Preceded by	N. Sundaran Nadar
Succeeded by	T. Sivadasa Menon
President of the Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee
In office 2005–2014
Preceded by	K. Muraleedharan
Succeeded by	V. M. Sudheeran
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly for Haripad
Incumbent
Assumed office 25 May 2011
In office 1982–1989
Member of Parliament for Kottayam
In office 1989–1998
Preceded by	Skariah Thomas
Succeeded by	K. Suresh Kurup
Personal details
Born	(1956-05-25) 25 May 1956 Mavelikkara, Travancore-Cochin, India
Political party	Indian National CongressFile:Flag of the Indian National Congress.svg
Spouse	Anita Ramesh
Children	2 including Ramit Chennithala

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. He has served as a Member of Parliament and as state home minister in the Government of Kerala.

Early life and education

He was born at Chennithala, Mavelikara, Kerala on 25 May 1956 to V. Ramakrishnan Nair and Devakiamma. He studied B.A.(Economics), LLB.

Political career

Started political life from early school days. In 1982, he became All India President of NSUI 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 29.

In 1986, he became the President of Pradesh Youth Congress (I), Kerala and in 1987 he was re-elected as MLA from Haripad Constituency.

In 1989 he was elected as Member of Parliament from Kottayam Parliamentary Constituency and became National President, Indian Youth Congress (I) in 1990.

Later in 1991, 1996 and 1999 he was re-elected to Parliament. In 2001 he became the AICC Secretary with independent charge of seven states and in 2002 with independent charge of five states. He became President of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee in 2005. In 2011, for the third time he was re-elected as MLA from Haripad Constituency. He served as State Executive Member, State Vice President, State General Secretary and State President of KSU and also as General Secretary of Indian Youth Congress (I).

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.

External links

• Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee
• News Report