K. Karunakaran
Kannoth Karunakaran (5 July 1918 – 23 December 2010), was an Indian politician who served as the fifth chief minister of Kerala in 1977, from 1981 to March 1982, from May 1982 to 1987 and from 1991 to 1995. He is the founder of the Indian National Congress (INC)-led United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition, which has been the main opposition in Kerala since 2016.
K. Karunakaran | |
|---|---|
| Union Minister for Industry | |
| In office 11 June 1995 – 16 May 1996 | |
| Prime Minister | P. V. Narasimha Rao |
| Preceded by | Ajit Singh |
| Succeeded by | Suresh Prabhu |
| 5th Chief Minister of Kerala | |
| In office 24 June 1991 – 16 March 1995 | |
| Preceded by | E. K. Nayanar |
| Succeeded by | A. K. Antony |
| In office 24 May 1982 – 25 March 1987 | |
| Preceded by | President's rule |
| Succeeded by | E. K. Nayanar |
| In office 28 December 1981 – 17 March 1982 | |
| Preceded by | President's rule |
| Succeeded by | President's rule |
| In office 25 March 1977 – 25 April 1977 | |
| Preceded by | C. Achutha Menon |
| Succeeded by | A. K. Antony |
| Minister of Home Affairs, Government of Kerala | |
| In office 25 September 1971 – 25 March 1977 | |
| Chief Minister | C. Achutha Menon |
| Preceded by | C. Achutha Menon |
| Succeeded by | K. M. Mani |
| Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 26 March 1987 – 17 June 1991 | |
| In office 25 January 1980 – 20 October 1981 | |
| In office 29 October 1978 – 7 October 1979 | |
| In office 6 March 1967 – 1 November 1969 | |
| Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 1967–1996 | |
| Constituency | Mala (7 Terms) |
| Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha | |
| In office 1998–1999 | |
| Constituency | Thiruvananthapuram |
| In office 1999–2004 | |
| Constituency | Mukundapuram |
| Member of Parliament, Rajya Sabha | |
| In office 1995–1997 | |
| In office 1997–1998 | |
| In office 2004–2005 | |
| Member of the Travancore–Cochin Legislative Assembly | |
| In office 1 July 1949 – 23 March 1956 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Kannoth Karunakara Marar 5 July 1918 Chirakkal, Madras Presidency, British India (present day Kannur, Kerala, India) |
| Died | 23 December 2010 (aged 92) Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala, India |
| Political party | Indian National Congress |
| Other political affiliations | Democratic Indira Congress (Karunakaran) |
| Spouse |
Kalyanikutty Amma
(m. 1954; died 1993) |
| Children | K. Muraleedharan Padmaja Venugopal |
| Parents |
|
| Residence(s) | Kannur, Thrissur, Kerala |
As of 2 November, 2007 Source: Government of Kerala | |
Karunakaran was close to former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi. At the peak of his career in the 1980s and 1990s, he enjoyed considerable access, confidence and control at the All India Congress Committee (AICC), such that he had an important role in helping P. V. Narasimha Rao become Prime Minister of India. He played a crucial role in nurturing and strengthening the INC into a strong political party in Kerala and enjoyed mass support of not just party workers but the entire anti-communist bloc that was active in Kerala. He is also credited with bringing development to multiple sectors in Kerala by spearheading key projects, including Kochi Airport, the country’s first public-private international airport, the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for Biotechnology, and Kochi's Jawaharlal Nehru International Stadium.