Antony Raju

Antony Raju is an Indian politician and Minister for Road Transport, Motor Vehicles, Water Transport,[2][3] Government of Kerala. He is the leader of Janadhipathya Kerala Congress. He was elected to the Kerala legislative assembly from Thiruvananthapuram Constituency of Kerala in 2021. Earlier he was the MLA of Thiruvananthapuram West Constituency from 1996 to 2001.

Antony Raju
Minister for Road Transport, Motor Vehicles, Water Transport, Government of Kerala
Assumed office
20 May 2021 (2021-05-20)
Preceded byA. K. Saseendran
ConstituencyThiruvananthapuram
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Assumed office
May 2, 2021 (2021-05-02)
Preceded byV. S. Sivakumar
ConstituencyThiruvananthapuram
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
In office
May 20, 1996 (1996-05-20) – May 10, 2001 (2001-05-10)
Preceded byM. M. Hassan
Succeeded byM. V. Raghavan
ConstituencyThiruvananthapuram West
Personal details
Born (1954-12-18) 18 December 1954
Trivandrum
Political partyJanadhipathya Kerala Congress[1]
Residence(s)Nanthencode, Thiruvananthapuram, Kerala
Websitewww.antonyraju.in

Early life and education

Raju was born on 18 November 1954 in Poonthura, Trivandrum to S Alphonse and T Lourdamma in a poor family from the fisher community.[4] He had his early education at the St. Thomas School Poonthura, Trivandrum, and completed his schooling at the Rajagiri School, Kalamassery, Ernakulam.[5] Raju was the unit president of Kerala Students' Congress (KSC), the students' wing of Kerala Congress, in St Xavier's College , Thumba, and Mar Ivanios College, Thiruvananthapuram. After graduating in Law from the Kerala Law Academy Law College, he enrolled as an advocate in 1982.[4] He completed his pre-degree from St. Xavier's College, Thumba, Thiruvananthapuram.

Political career
Antony Raju (2023)

In 1996, Antony Raju was KC(J) candidate and contested for LDF. It was Antony's first political victory in Assembly Election from Trivandrum West Constituency. However, in the 2016 elections he contested as Janadhipathya Kerala Congress candidate but lost to VS Sivakumar. But in the 2021 elections, he defeated VS Sivakumar by more than 8000 votes.The coastal region has been Raju's support base. He contested a poll for the first time from Shanghumugham division to the erstwhile district council. Shanghumugham is part of the Thiruvananthapuram Assembly constituency.

His first attempt to reach the Assembly went in vain as he lost to M M Hassan of the Congress in Thiruvananthapuram West in 1991. Raju exacted revenge the next time by defeating Hassan. However, he lost again in 2001, this time to M V Raghavan.

He was not fielded in the next two Assembly polls due to controversies over his legal career. In 2016, Raju of the Janadhipathya Kerala Congress lost to V S Sivakumar, but bounced back this time by defeating the same Congress leader.

References
  1. "Kerala Congress (M) rebels form new party, may join LDF". The Indian Express. 10 March 2016. Retrieved 23 April 2016.
  2. "The Kerala Governor allots the Business of the Government among the following Ministers". Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  3. "Notifications - Government of Kerala, India". kerala.gov.in. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  4. "Antony Raju: From coast to cabinet". onmanorama.com. 20 May 2021. Retrieved 27 May 2023.
  5. "LDF candidate Antony Raju begins election campaign". www.uniindia.com. Archived from the original on 5 March 2017.
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