R. Balakrishna Pillai Biography 
Balakrishna Pillai is a well known Congress leader (Kerala Congress B) of Kerala. He was former minister of Kerala who has held portfolios like Transport and Electricity. He was Member of the Legislative Assembly from Kottarakara Constituency for many decades. At present he holds chairman position of Kerala Congress (B). His son K. B. Ganesh is also well known politician and MLA. Most recently he has resigned from Minister for Forests & Environment, Sports and Cinema. Ganesh is a very popular film actor of Malayalam too. Balakrishna Pillai is one of the Founder Members of United Democratic Front (UDF) and has served as minister of Kerala under K. Karunakaran and A. K. Antony.
R. Balakrishna Pillai was elected for the first time to Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1960. He won it from Pathanapuram Assembly Constituency of Kollam district as a candidate of the Indian National Congress. He was only 25 years that time and till now, he holds the record of youngest MLA of Kerala. In 1964, he left congress and formed a new party called Kerala Congress, in association with 15 MLAs including K.M. George. He won again from Kottakara in the next election held in 1965, but faced continuous defeats in 1967 and 1970.
He was elected to the Lok Sabha in 1971 General Election from Mavelikara Constituency. He defeated S. Ramachandran Pillai, CPI (M) candidate and thus became Member of Parliament for the first time. He returned to State Politics in 1977. He won continuously for years from Kottarakara - 1977, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1991, 1996, and 2001, but finally got defeated in 2006. His victory margin of 37000 votes in 1980 was a record for 25 years in Kerala.
His political career was shadowed by allegations related to the Idamalayar and Kallada Dam construction projects. According to the reports submitted by Justice K. Sukumaran, R. Balakrishna Pillai and others were prosecuted by a Special Court. He was sentenced to 2 and a half years imprisoned as well. But after a lot of political dramas, he was finally released on the occasion of the 55th formation day of Kerala (1st November 2011) as a grand by State government.
Published: N/A
Updated: September 30, 2013
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