G. Karthikeyan

Gopala Pillai Karthikeyan (20 January 1949 – 7 March 2015) was an Indian politician and former speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly. He was a Member of the Legislative Assembly from Aruvikkara constituency, who represented the Indian National Congress.

G. Karthikeyan
Speaker of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
In office 2 June 2011[1] – 7 March 2015
Chief Minister	Oommen Chandy
Preceded by	K. Radhakrishnan
Succeeded by	N. Sakthan
Constituency	Aruvikkara
Deputy Leader of the Opposition in the Kerala Legislative Assembly
In office 2006–2011
Minister for Food and Civil Supplies, Government of Kerala
In office 2001–2004
Chief Minister	A. K. Antony
Preceded by	E. Chandrasekharan Nair
Succeeded by	Adoor Prakash
Minister for Electricity, Government of Kerala
In office 1995–1996
Chief Minister	A. K. Antony
Preceded by	C. V. Padmarajan
Succeeded by	Pinarayi Vijayan
Personal details
Born	(1949-01-20)20 January 1949 Varkala, United State of Travancore and Cochin, Dominion of India
Died	7 March 2015(2015-03-07) (aged 66) Bengaluru, Karnataka, India
Political party	Indian National Congress
Spouse	Dr. M. T. Sulekha
Children	2 (incl. K. S. Sabarinadhan)
Parent(s)	N. P. Gopala Pillai Vanajakshi Amma
As of 7 March, 2015 Source: kerala.gov.in

Early life

Born on January 20, 1949, in Kannambayil, Varkala, Thiruvananthapuram district, the eldest son of N.P. Gopala Pillai and Vanajakshi Amma. He has seven siblings.

Political life

G. Karthikeyan entered politics through student movements and was a leader of Kerala Students Union (KSU). He held a Bachelor of Laws degree. He served as the State president of Kerala Students Union. He was a Student member of senate of Kerala University and Secretary of Kerala University Union. He also held various posts in Youth Congress, including State General Secretary and State President. He was the general secretary of Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC).^[2] Karthikeyan was the only elected Vice President of KPCC and also served as the Chief Whip and Deputy Leader of the Congress Legislature Party. He served as Minister for Electricity (Government of Kerala) in the Ministry headed by Shri A.K. Antony in 1995 and was the Minister for Food and Civil Supplies in the A.K. Antony Ministry in 2001. He was also an A.I.C.C. Member.

G Karthikeyan was elected as an MLA to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1982 (Trivandrum North), 1991, 1996, 2001 and 2006 (Aryanad) and in 2011 (Aruvikkara). He was elected as the speaker of Kerala Legislative Assembly in 2011, succeeding K. Radhakrishnan. He died on 7 March 2015, aged 66, at Health Care Global (H.C.G.) hospital in Bangalore, after suffering from serious complications of liver cancer. He was the second Speaker to die in office, after K. M. Seethi in 1961, and the first to die during a legislative session. He is survived by his wife and children.^[3]

Major Election Victories
Year	Constituency	Closest rival	Majority (votes)
1982	Trivandrum North	K. Anirudhan (CPI(M))	8,846[4]
1991	Aryanad	K. Pankajakshan (RSP)	3,480[5]
1996	Aryanad	K.P Sankaradas (RSP)	8,617[6]
2001	Aryanad	G. Arjunan (RSP)	12,071[7]
2006	Aryanad	T.J Chandrachoodan (RSP)	2,198[8]
2011	Aruvikkara	Sreedharan Nair (RSP)	10,674[9]