P. K. Kunhalikutty

P. K. Kunhalikutty (born 1 June 1951 as Pandikkadavath Kunhalikutty) is an Indian politician and social worker who is a former Member of Parliament from Malappuram Parliament Constituency of the Indian state Kerala. He also serves as National General Secretary, Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) from 2007.[1][2] He is a member of Standing Committee on Railways, Government of India.[3]

P. K. Kunhalikutty
P. K. Kunhalikutty in January 2016
Member of Parliament (Lok Sabha) for Malappuram
In office
17 July 2017 – 3 February 2021
Preceded byE. Ahamed
Member of Legislative Assembly
In office
2011–2017
Succeeded byK. N. A. Khader
ConstituencyVengara
In office
1991–2006
Succeeded byK. T. Jaleel
ConstituencyKuttippuram
Minister for Industries and Information Technology, Kerala
In office
23 May 2011 – 19 May 2016
Minister for Industries, IT & Social Welfare
In office
2004–2005
Minister for Industries and Municipalities
In office
1995–1996
Minister for Industries and Social Welfare
In office
1991–1995
Personal details
Born (1951-06-01) 1 June 1951
Oorakam, Madras State, India
Nationality Indian
Political party Indian Union Muslim League
ChildrenP. K. Ashik (son)
ResidencePanakkadu, Malappuram
Websitewww.kerala.gov.in

Kunhalikutty was born at Oorakam in Madras State in 1951. He entered politics through Muslim Students Federation (the MSF), the student wing of Indian Union Muslim League. He served as Secretary, Farook College Students Union, Kozhikode. He subsequently served as Chairman, Malappuram Municipality - at the age of 29 - in 1980.[1][2]

Kunhalikutty 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, Kerala Legislative Assembly for seven times between 1982 and 2016. 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 General Secretary, Kerala State, Indian Union Muslim League from 2003 - 2006 and 2007 to 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-lead 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]

Background and career

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, Thaliparamba. He was also educated at Farook College, Kozhikode.[3] He is also a Post-Graduate Diploma holder in Business Management.[1][2]

Personal life

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.[7]

Political career

Kunhalikutty is also the National General Secretary of Indian Union Muslim League (IUML) from 2007.[1][2] He was National Treasurer, Indian Union Muslim League. 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. From May 2017 to January 2018, he was a member in Committee on Government Assurances, Government of India.[3]

1980 Malappuram Municipality chairman

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 - MSF. 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 media as "meteoric".[4]

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

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

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

Career as Minister for Industries

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]

Kunhalikutty served as General Secretary, Kerala State, Indian Union Muslim League from 2003 - 2006 and 2007 to 2011.[3]

Member of Parliament

Kunhalikutty got elected as Member of Parliament from Malappuram Constituency in 2017 in a bye-election.[8] The election was a result of the death of former Union Minister and senior IUML leader E. Ahamed. Kunhalikutty won from all the seven Assembly constituencies of the Parliament Constituency.[9]

Minister in different Kerala ministries
P. K. Kunhalikutty with Oommen Chandy (2012)
UDF termChief MinisterPeriodPortfolio
1991–1996K. Karunakaran1991–95Industries and Social Welfare
A. K. Antony1995–96Industries and Municipalities
2001–2006A. K. Antony2001–04Industries, Information Technology and Social Welfare
Oommen Chandy2004–05Industries, Information Technology and Social Welfare
2011–2016Oommen Chandy2011–16Industries, Information Technology, Haj and Wakf and Mining and Geology

Controversies

P. K. Kunhalikutty experienced electoral defeat only in 2006 Kerala state assembly elections when he his name was dragged into the 1997 Ice cream parlour sex scandal. A closure report in the case was filed in the trial court later by the Special Investigation Team. The Supreme Court of India had in 2016 dismissed a petition from the opposition communists seeking a federal probe into the case.[10]

References
  1. Minister for Industries and Information Technology. Kerala.gov.in. Retrieved on 23 July 2015.
  2. Members – Kerala Legislature. Niyamasabha.org. Retrieved on 23 July 2015.
  3. "Members : Lok Sabha". 164.100.47.194. Retrieved 9 April 2019.
  4. Udayabhanu, Prem. (2017, April 17). A sneak peek at the life and times of 'Kunjappa'. Malayala Manorama. Retrieved from https://english.manoramaonline.com
  5. Express News Service. (2017, April 17). IUML's warhorse saddles up for national sojourn. The New Indian Express. Retrieved from http://www.newindianexpress.com
  6. "E. Ahamed's Daughter Fouzia Emerges As A Political Face In Kerala's Misogynistic Muslim League". Outlook (India). Retrieved 12 April 2019.
  7. Malayalam Manorama Correspondent. (2017, April 10). കുഞ്ഞാലിക്കുട്ടി എങ്ങനെ കുഞ്ഞാപ്പയായി? ചില മലപ്പുറം കൗതുക കാഴ്ചകൾ. Malayala Manorama. Retrieved from https://www.manoramaonline.com
  8. Malappuram Election Result
  9. Press Trust of India (PTI). (2017, April 17). Muslim League wins big to retain Malappuram Lok Sabha seat. The Hindu Business Line. Retrieved from https://www.thehindubusinessline.com
  10. "Mathrubhumi". Archived from the original on 24 May 2020.
Lok Sabha
Preceded by
E. Ahamed		 Member of Parliament
for Malappuram
17 April 2017 – Present		 Succeeded by
Incumbent
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