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P. K. Kunhalikutty

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P. K. Kunhalikutty
P. K. Kunhalikutty in January 2016
Deputy Leader of Opposition in Kerala Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
22 May 2021
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Incumbent
Assumed office
20 May 2021
Preceded byK. N. A. Khader
ConstituencyVengara
In office
2011–2017
Preceded byK. N. A. Khader
Succeeded byK. N. A. Khader
ConstituencyVengara
In office
1991–2006
Succeeded byK. T. Jaleel
ConstituencyKuttippuram
Member of Parliament, Lok Sabha
In office
17 July 2017 – 3 February 2021
Preceded byE. Ahamed
Succeeded byM. P. Abdussamad Samadani
ConstituencyMalappuram
Cabinet Minister, Government of Kerala
In office
23 May 2011 – 19 May 2016
GovernorR. S. Gavai
M. O. H. Farook
H. R. Bhardwaj
Nikhil Kumar
Chief MinisterOommen Chandy
Ministry and Departments
  • Industries
  • IT
  • Trade & Commerce
  • Mining & Geology
  • Wakf & Haj Affairs
In office
31 August 2004 – 12 May 2006
GovernorR. L. Bhatia
Chief MinisterOommen Chandy
Ministry and Departments
In office
22 March 1995 – 9 May 1996
GovernorB. Rachaiah
P. Shiv Shankar
Khurshed Alam Khan
Chief MinisterA. K. Antony
Ministry and Departments
Personal details
Born (1951-06-01) 1 June 1951 (age 73)
Oorakam, Madras State, India (present-day Malappuram district, Kerala, India)
Nationality Indian
Political partyIndian Union Muslim League
Children2
Residence(s)Panakkad, Malappuram, Kerala
Websitewww.kerala.gov.in

P. K. Kunhalikutty (born 1 June 1951 as Pandikkadavath Kunhalikutty) is an Indian politician and social worker who is the present Member of Legislative Assembly from Vengara Assembly Constituency in Kerala. He also serves as National General Secretary of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) and Deputy Leader of opposition in Kerala Leglative Assembly.[1][2]

Kunhalikutty was born at Oorakam in Malabar district, Madras State in 1951. He entered public life through students and college union politics and served as Chairman of Malappuram Municipality at the age of 29 in 1980.[1][2] He was elected to the Kerala state Legislative Assembly for the first time from the Malappuram Constituency in 1982.[1][2] He went on to become Member of Legislative Assembly of Kerala eight times between 1982 and 2021. He also served as Minister for Industries in several Kerala Legislative Assemblies (under Congress leaders K. Karunakaran, A. K. Antony and Oommen Chandy).[1][2] Kunhalikutty served as Kerala State General Secretary of Indian Union Muslim League from 2003 - 2006 and from 2007 - 2011.[3]

Kunhalikutty is popularly known as "Kunjappa" among his supporters.[4] He is known for his deep 'bonding' to United Democratic Front, the decades-old Congress-led pre-poll alliance in Kerala.[4] As per Malayala Manorama daily, "the persuasive charm" of Kunhalikutty is widely respected by his political peers and rivals.[4] He is also known for his 'vast experience in crafting strategic moves', and having 'weathered many a storm in his political career'.[5] The Outlook magazine once described Kunhalikutty as "Indian Union Muslim League's backbone in Kerala politics."[6][7]

Background and career

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P. K. Kunhalikutty was born on 1 June 1951 at Oorakam, Melmuri in present-day Malappuram District as the son of Pandikkadavath Mohamed Haji and K. P. Fathima Kutty.[3] He completed his secondary education from G. V. H. S. S. Vengara. He has an under-graduate degree in commerce from Sir Syed College, Taliparamba. He was also educated at Farook College, Kozhikode.[3] He is also a Post-Graduate Diploma holder in Business Management.[1][2]

Personal life

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Kunhalikutty is married to K. M. Ummul Kulza[3] and the couple have two children.[1][2] He spends his spare time in vegetable cultivation at a plot near his residence and in ornamental fish farming.[8]

The chairman of Koyenco Group, P. P. Koya, is brother-in-law of P. K. Kunhalikutty.[9]

Political career

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Kunhalikutty is also the National General Secretary of Indian Union Muslim League, (IUML).[1][2] He earlier served as Kerala State General Secretary, Indian Union Muslim League from 2003 - 2006 and 2007 - 2011.[3] He was National Treasurer, Indian Union Muslim League.[2]

He is also serving presently as Director, Chandrika daily and Director, Muhammed Koya International Foundation.[1][2] From May 2016 to April 2017, he served as Deputy Leader of Opposition, Kerala Legislative Assembly.[3]

1980 Malappuram Municipality chairman

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Kunhalikutty entered politics through Muslim Students Federation (the MSF), the student wing of Indian Union Muslim League. He later became State Treasurer, Muslim Students Federation. He also served as Secretary, Farook College Students Union.[3]

He subsequently served as chairman, Malappuram Municipality, at the age of 29, in 1980.[1][2] The Indian Express later wrote, "he became the blue-eyed boy of the [respected] Panakkad Thangal family after displaying political acumen and charisma upon being elected Malappuram Municipality chairman in 1980".[5] Rise of Kunhalikutty in Indian Union Muslim League after the 1980 victory was later described by the media as "meteoric".[4]

Tenures in Kerala Legislative Assembly

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Kunhalikutty has been elected to Kerala Legislative Assembly eight times, in 1982 and 1987, contesting from Malappuram Assembly Constituency, and in 1991, 1996 and 2001, from Kuttippuram Constituency and in 2011, 2016 and 2021 from Vengara Constituency.[3] In the 2006 Left Democratic Front wave in Kerala, Kunhalikutty was defeated by K.T. Jaleel in Kuttippuram Constituency.[4]

Career as Minister for Industries

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Kunhalikutty served as Minister for Industries and Social Welfare from 1991 to 1995 in the K. Karunakaran Ministry (1991–95).[5] As per observers, the selection was an indication of senior leader K. Karunakaran's regard for the "young League politician".[4]

Kunhalikutty went on to serve as Minister for Industries and Municipalities from 1995 to 1996, and Minister for Industries, IT and Social Welfare from 2001 to 2004, in two A. K. Antony Ministries and Minister for Industries, IT and Social Welfare, from 2004 to 2005 in the Oommen Chandy Ministry.[1][2] In 2011 he was the wealthiest member in the cabinet of Oommen Chandy[10] and served as Minister for the remarkable IT Project Akshaya project in 2002.[11]

U D F term Chief Minister Period Portfolios
1991–1996 K. Karunakaran 1991–95 Industries and Social Welfare
A. K. Antony 1995–96 Industries and Municipalities
2001–2006 A. K. Antony 2001–04 Industries, Information Technology and Social Welfare
Oommen Chandy 2004–05 Industries, Information Technology and Social Welfare
2011–2016 Oommen Chandy 2011–16 Industries, Information Technology, Haj and Wakf and Mining and Geology
P. K. Kunhalikutty with Oommen Chandy (2012)

Member of Parliament

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Kunhalikutty got elected as Member of Parliament from Malappuram Parliamentary Constituency in 2017 in a by-election.[12] The election was a result of the death of former Minister of State for External Affairs and senior IUML leader E. Ahamed. Kunhalikutty won from all the seven Assembly constituencies of the Parliament Constituency.[13] He was re-elected to Malappuram during the 2019 general elections.[14]

He was a member of Standing Committee on Railways, Government of India.[3] From May 2017 to January 2018, he was a member in Committee on Government Assurances, Government of India.[3]

Return to Legislative Assembly

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In February 2021, Kunhalikutty resigned from the Lok Sabha to contest the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly election.[14] He is currently a Member of Legislative Assembly from Vengara Assembly Constituency.

P. K. Kunhalikutty (third from right) with the then Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at the 11th Pravasi Bharatiya Divas (2013) in Kochi

Controversies

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P. K. Kunhalikutty experienced electoral defeat only in 2006 Kerala state assembly elections due to his involvement in the 1997 Ice cream parlour sex scandal.[15] A closure report in the case was filed in the trial court later by the Special Investigation Team. There were severe allegations levelled in relation to this case including death of two girls in Kozhikode.[16] The Supreme Court of India had in 2016 dismissed a petition from the opposition communists seeking a federal probe into the case.[17]

There were allegations in relation to 2020 Kerala gold smuggling case that one of the key accused, K.T. Ramees is a relative of P.K. Kunhalikutty.[18][19]

In 2018, he skipped a Lok Sabha session for attending a marriage in Dubai when parliamentary proceedings over Muslim Women (Protection of Rights on Marriage) Act, 2018 were taking place. He was heavily criticised for his behaviour as the bill was about the criminalisation of triple talaq in India.[20][21]

In 2011, there was plea before Vigilance and Anti Corruption Bureau Court, Thrissur made by Andul Aziz from National Secular Conference to undertake a probe into wealth amassed by P.K. Kunhalikutty and his relatives.[22] The plea had mention about investments made into Seashore Rolling Engineering Company owned by son of P.K. Kunhalikutty.[23] The plea was dismissed by the VACB court due to inadequate evidences to support the claim.[24]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b c d e f g h i j Minister for Industries and Information Technology. Kerala.gov.in. Retrieved on 23 July 2015.
  2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k Members – Kerala Legislature Archived 16 February 2012 at the Wayback Machine. Niyamasabha.org. Retrieved on 23 July 2015.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h i j "Members : Lok Sabha". 164.100.47.194. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  4. ^ a b c d e f Udayabhanu, Prem (17 April 2017). "A sneak peek at the life and times of 'Kunjappa'". Malayala Manorama. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019.
  5. ^ a b c "IUML's warhorse saddles up for national sojourn". The New Indian Express. 17 April 2017. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019.
  6. ^ "E. Ahamed's Daughter Fouzia Emerges As A Political Face In Kerala's Misogynistic Muslim League". Outlook (India). 27 January 2018. Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  7. ^ "Explained: The importance of Kunhalikutty in Kerala Assembly elections". The Indian Express. 5 February 2021. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  8. ^ "Kunhalikutty Engane Kunjappayayi? Chila Malappuram Kauthuka Kazhchakal". Malayala Manorama. 10 April 2017. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019.
  9. ^ Damodaran, Harish (25 November 2018). INDIA'S NEW CAPITALISTS: Caste, Business, and Industry in a Modern Nation. Hachette India. ISBN 978-93-5195-280-0.
  10. ^ Devasia, T. K. "Kunhalikutty is the richest in Kerala cabinet". Khaleej Times. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  11. ^ "Kerala embarks on mass computer literacy drive". The Times of India. 1 June 2003. ISSN 0971-8257. Retrieved 17 August 2023.
  12. ^ Malappuram Election Result
  13. ^ "Muslim League wins big to retain Malappuram Lok Sabha seat". The Hindu Business Line. Press Trust of India. 17 April 2017. Archived from the original on 12 April 2019.
  14. ^ a b "IUML leader PK Kunhalikutty resigns as MP to contest Kerala Assembly polls". The News Minute. 4 February 2021. Retrieved 8 March 2021.
  15. ^ Radhakrishnan, M. G. (15 November 2004). "8-year-old sex scandal haunts Kerala minister P.K. Kunhalikutty, rocks govt". India Today. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  16. ^ "Plea filed for fresh probe into girls' death". The New Indian Express. 16 May 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  17. ^ "Mathrubhumi". 5 April 2017. Archived from the original on 24 May 2020.
  18. ^ M.K, Nidheesh (12 July 2020). "Malappuram-based businessman in customs custody over Kerala gold smuggling case". mint. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  19. ^ "NIA Arrests PK Kunhalikutty's Kin Rameez in Gold Smuggling Case; Chakkiri Ahmed Also A Relative". Deshabhimani. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  20. ^ "Kunhalikutty slammed for skipping talaq voting". The Times of India. 29 December 2018. Retrieved 25 February 2021.
  21. ^ "Kunhalikutty draws flak for missing triple talaq voting". The Hindu. 28 December 2018. Archived from the original on 3 October 2020. Retrieved 19 June 2024.
  22. ^ "Inquiry into complaints on Kunhalikutty begins". The New Indian Express. 16 May 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
  23. ^ "Court rejects plea for investigation into Kerala industries minister". Retrieved 26 February 2021 – via PressReader.
  24. ^ "Plea against Kunhalikutty rejected". The New Indian Express. 16 May 2012. Retrieved 26 February 2021.
Lok Sabha
Preceded by Member of Parliament
for Malappuram
17 April 2017 – 2021 		Succeeded by
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