P. Rajeeve is an Indian politician, who currently serves as the Minister for Industries, Law and Coir in the Government of Kerala.[1] He represents Kalamassery constituency in the Kerala Legislative Assembly.

P. Rajeeve
Minister for Industries, Law and Coir, Government of Kerala
Assumed office
20 May 2021
Chief MinisterPinarayi Vijayan
Preceded by
Member of parliament, Rajya Sabha
In office
22 April 2009 – 21 April 2015
ConstituencyKerala
Member of Kerala Legislative Assembly
Assumed office
24 May 2021
Preceded byV. K. Ebrahimkunju
ConstituencyKalamassery
Personal details
BornMeladoor, Annamanada, Thrissur, Kerala
Political partyCommunist Party of India (Marxist)
SpouseVani Kesari
Children2
Residence(s)Ushus, Nanthancode, Thiruvananthapuram
Alma materGovernment Law College, Ernakulam (LL.B.)

Early life and career

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Punnadath Rajeeve was elected to Rajya Sabha on 27 April 2009. He is a native of Meladoor in Thrissur district. He was born to late P. Vasudevan (Retired Revenue Inspector) and Radha Vasudevan.

Rajeeve completed his schooling at Government Samithy High School, Meladoor and then joined for his pre degree education at Christ College, Irinjalakuda. He graduated in Economics from the St. Paul's College, Kalamassery and later took his LL.B degree from the Government Law College, Ernakulam. He also holds a diploma in Chemical Engineering from Government Polytechnic College, Kalamassery, where he started his political activism.[2] He was a practising lawyer at the High Court of Kerala before taking full-time political and organizational responsibilities.

Rajeeve is married to Dr. Vani Kesari who is teaching law at the School of Legal Studies, Cochin University of Science and Technology. The couple have two daughters, Hridhya Rajeeve and Haritha Rajeeve.

Rajeeve is one of the Secretariat members of CPI(M) Kerala State committee. He was a member of parliament (Rajya Sabha) from 2009 to 2015. Rajeeve had been the most active member of the upper house during his stint and had raised several popular issues in the house. When he retired, leaders from most political parties pleaded with CPI(M) general secretary Sitaram Yechury to consider getting Rajeeve elected again to the parliament. He was highly praised for his parliamentary performance by political opponents like former finance minister Arun Jaitley, Congress leader Gulam Nabi Azad, BSP supremo Mayawati and Rajya Sabha deputy chairman P. J. Kurien. His Parliamentary performance was highly applauded and was outstanding.[3] He won the Sansad Ratna Award in 2016 for his outstanding contributions in the Parliament.

In 2019 Indian general election, he contested from Ernakulam (Lok Sabha constituency).[4] In 2020, his book Bharanaghadana: Charithravum Samskaravum received the Abu Dhabi Sakthi Award in the scholarly literature category.[5]

In the 2021 Kerala Legislative Assembly Election, Rajeeve defeated V. E. Abdul Gafoor of the Indian Union Muslim League and got elected from Kalamassery state assembly constituency, Ernakulam District. P Rajeeve was included in the second Pinarayi Vijayan ministry as Minister for Industries.[6]

Political career

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Rajeeve started his public life as an organizer of the Students' Federation of India (SFI) being active from his School days. Later he became the President and then Secretary of SFI Kerala State Committee. He also held positions including the Joint Secretary and Vice President of SFI Central Committee. Later he was active in the Democratic Youth Federation of India (DYFI) where he held the post of district secretary. Rajeeve is now a Central committee member of CPI(M). Rajeeve also served as the Chief Editor of Deshabhimani Daily.

References

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  1. ^ "Notifications - Government of Kerala, India". kerala.gov.in. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  2. ^ "Industry Minister from Industrial District". News8Plus. 21 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
  3. ^ Parsai, Gargi (23 April 2015). "In RS, clamour for P. Rajeeve's return". The Hindu – via www.thehindu.com.
  4. ^ "Lok Sabha polls 2019: Stage getting ready for big fight in Ernakulam". The New Indian Express. Retrieved 24 March 2019.
  5. ^ "എം കെ സാനുവിനും പി രാജീവിനും സി എൽ ജോസിനും അബുദാബി ശക്തി അവാർഡ്‌". Deshabhimani. 9 March 2022. Retrieved 3 January 2023.
  6. ^ "Chemical Engineer P Rajeev to lead Industries Department, Government of Kerala".
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