P. J. Joseph

P.J Joseph contested and won his first election from Thodupuzha to the legislative assembly. He won these elections on nine occasions (1970, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1996, 2006, 2011, 2016).[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] He contested to the Lok Sabha at Muvattupuzha and Idukki in 1989 and 1991, but was unsuccessful. In 1979 he parted ways with Kerala congress leader K. M. Mani to form a new party, Kerala Congress (Joseph). In 1985 Kerala congress leaders K. M. Mani (from Kerala Congress (M)), P. J. Joseph from Kerala Congress (Joseph), R. Balakrishna Pillai (from Kerala Congress (B)) and their parties merged forming the united Kerala Congress. This party split in 1987. P. J. Joseph continued in United Democratic Front (UDF) till 1989. Issue raised in Moovattupuzha loksabha seat joseph left the alliance and joined to LDF. Since 1991 Joseph's party became part of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) as an alliance.

Joseph resigned from the Kerala Cabinet on 4 September 2006 as he was accused of misbehaviour with a lady co-passenger on a Kingfisher flight. He was acquitted by court on 11 May 2009 due to insufficient evidence.[10] He attributed the allegation to a political vendetta by his detractors in the opposition MLA groups, who had been expelled from his party and people who had tried to criticise him in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of a Housing Scheme for registrations called "Maitri" during his ministerial term during 1996–2001.[11] 2009 he again become minister

In 2010, after 23 years, Joseph's party again merged with Kerala Congress (M) and a alliance member of United Democratic Front (UDF). He held various ministerial positions within the Government of Kerala:[12] the first time was in 1978 as Home Minister in A. K. Antony's ministry. Joseph was also Revenue minister twice in K. Karunakaran's ministry between 1981 and 1982 and 1982–1987, and Education minister between 1996 and 2001 at E. K. Nayanar's ministry. He was short-term PWD minister in V. S. Achuthanandan's ministry in 2006 and 2010.

On 30 April 2010, Joseph resigned from the LDF government and declared his party's merger with K. M. Mani's party. After UDF's win in Kerala Legislative Assembly's election in 2011, Oommen Chandy became Chief Minister of Kerala. Joseph was appointed minister for the 7th time, now with the portfolio of irrigation; he completed his term in 2016.[13]

In the Kerala assembly election of 2011, Joseph defeated Joseph Augustine of LDF by a margin of 22,868 votes. He joined the UDF ministry led by Oommen Chandy as the Minister for Irrigations. In the Kerala assembly election 2016, Joseph defeated his rival CPM backed independent by 45,587 votes recording the highest margin in 2016 elections and second highest in the history of Kerala Assembly election.

After the death of the chairman of Kerala Congress(M) K.M.Mani, His Son Jose K Mani claims as next chairman.However other senior leaders of the party didn't approve this. P.J Joseph was the party chairman in his absence of Original Chairman,Joseph also stand against this coupe lead by Mani's son . which cause another split of Kerala Congress. Kerala Congress (M) party sidelined with two factions: Joseph faction and Jose faction.

1. Joseph faction: P J Joseph,C. F. Thomas and Monce Joseph.

1. Jose k mani faction: Jose K. Mani,Roshy AugustineN. Jayarajand Thomas Chazhikadan

Two factions filed in court that they both wanted the Two Leaves party symbol and name .