Of sons and daughters in UDF camp

Thiruvananthapuram: There are several UDF leaders who come with a rich lineage in the electoral fray. Prominent among them are agriculture minister and JDU leader K. P. Mohanan who is contesting at Kuthuparamba, JDU state president M. P. Veerendra Kumar’s son M. V. Shreyams Kumar from Kalpetta, former chief minister K. Karunakaran’s daughter Padmaja Venugopal and his son K. Muraleedharan, power minister Aryadan Muhammed’s son and film-maker Aryadan Shoukath, former KC (Jacob) chairman T. M. Jacob’s son and food minister Anoop Jacob,  Former Congress MLA from Kundara Thoppil Ravi’s son Sooraj Ravi, son of former Ernakulam MP George Eden and sitting MLA Hibi Eden, son of veteran trade union leader Baby John and labour minister Shibu Baby John.

Mr Mohanan is the son of P. R. Kurup, former socialist leader who was the forest and transport minister in the E. K. Nayanar Government. Kurup was also a cabinet minister in the EMS ministry in 1967, too. Prior to that, Kurup was elected to first and second Kerala assembloes from Koothuparamba constituency as Praja Socialist Party (PSP) candidate.

He was also elected to 3rd, 5th, 8th and 10th Kerala Legislative Assemblies from Peringalam constituency on Samyukta Socialist Party (SSP), Indian National Congress, Janata Party and Janata Dal tickets, respectively. Now, Mr Mohanan is representing Koothuparamba constituency for the second time. He was also a legislator in 2001 and 2006.

Shreyams Kumar, 49, is contesting from Kalpetta for the second time. He was also one among the ‘green MLA’ brigade comprising of V. D. Satheeshan, T. N. Prathapan and K. M. Shaji. Son of Rajya Sabha member Veerendra Kumar, who is also the chairman and managing director of Mathrubhumi Printing and Publishing Company Ltd, Mr Kumar is the director of marketing and heads the Mathrubhumi News channel.

The only siblings to contest the 2016 Assembly elections will K. Muraleedharan  and Padmaja Venugopal. While Mr Muraleedharan is the sitting MLA from Vattiyoorkavu, Ms Padmaja is contesting for the second time in Thrissur Assembly seat.

Son of veteran Congress leader Aryadan Muhammed, Aryadan Shoukath is also a film producer.

She was defeated in the old Mukundapuram Lok Sabha seat by CPM candidate Lonappan Nambadan in the 2004 election. In the last Assembly election, she was denied a seat as her brother had already been offered a seat in Vattiyoorkavu. Three-time Lok Sabha MP, Mr Muraleedharan was also the KPCC president. In 2004, Muraleedharan lost the Wadakkancherry by-election after he was sworn in power minister in the A. K. Antony ministry.

Son of veteran Congress leader Aryadan Muhammed, Aryadan Shoukath is also a film producer. He was also the president of the Nilambur panchayat when it won Kerala's best panchayat award from the state government, and was also the chairman of the municipality. Aryadan senior represented the Nilambur constituency eight times and now wants the son to take over the baton.

It was when Mr T.M. Jacob passed away unexpectedly that his son Anoop, a Youth Front leader  then, took the mantle and won the Piravom by-election which was a huge morale booster for the UDF government. He is the food and civil supplies minister in the Oommen Chandy Government.

40-year-old Sooraj Ravi is going to debut in the Assembly elections after managing to get the party ticket thanks to KPCC president V. M. Sudheeran. Though there were several takers for the seat, the Kollam DCC vice-president finally managed to get the seat though the official announcement is yet to come.
George Eden was a two-time MLA and two-time MP and had represented Ernakulam constituency for 12 years uninterruptedly.

He was elected to the Assembly in 1991 by defeating Everest Chammini. When he died at the age of 50 in 2003, a young Hibi Eden was a college student. But over the years he climbed to the position of NSUI president and was later fielded as an Assembly candidate from Ernakulam.

A mechanical engineer by training, Mr Shibu Baby John followed in his late father Baby John’s footsteps and decided to be a trade union leader under the banner of RSP. He is a two-time MLA and is contesting again from Chavara.