A. K. Saseendran

2021-11-21T20:46:31Z

59.95.78.103:

{{Use dmy dates|date=July 2018}}
{{Use Indian English|date=July 2018}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = A.K.Saseendran
| image = A.K._Saseendran.jpg
| caption =
| birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1946|01|29|df=yes}}
| birth_place = [[Kannur district|Kannur]], [[Malabar District]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]]<br>(present day [[Kerala]], India)
| nationality = [[Indian people|Indian]]
| residence = [[Chovva]], [[Kannur]]
| death_date =
| death_place =
| office1 = Minister for Transport, [[Government of Kerala]]
| term_start1 = {{Start date|2018|02|01|df=yes}}
| term_end1 = 03 May 2021
| predecessor1 = [[Thomas Chandy]]
| successor1 = [[Antony Raju]]
| term_start2 = {{Start date|2016|05|25|df=yes}}
| term_end2 = {{End date|2017|03|26|df=yes}}
| predecessor2 = [[Thiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan]]
| successor2 = [[Thomas Chandy]]
| office3 = [[Member of the Legislative Assembly (India)|Member]] of the [[Kerala Legislative Assembly]]
| term_start3 = {{Start date|2011|06|01|df=yes}}
| term_end3 =
| constituency3 = [[Elathur (State Assembly constituency)|Elathur]]
| predecessor3 = ''Established''
| successor3 =
| party = [[Nationalist Congress Party]]
| spouse = Anitha Krishnan N. T.
| parents = {{Unbulleted_list|K. Kunhambu|M. K. Janaki}}
| children = Varun Saseendran
| footnotes =
| date =
| year =
| source =
| office = Minister for Forests, Wild Life Protection [[Government of Kerala]]
| termstart = 20 May 2021
}}
'''A. K. Saseendran''' (born 29 January 1946) is an Indian politician serving as the Minister for Forests, Wild Life Protection, [[Government of Kerala]]<ref>https://kerala.gov.in/documents/10180/10f1c4c2-f98b-4600-9b2a-749f33bdb791</ref><ref>{{Cite web|title=Notifications - Government of Kerala, India|url=https://kerala.gov.in/notifications|access-date=2021-05-21|website=kerala.gov.in}}</ref> in the [[second Pinarayi Vijayan ministry]]. He belongs to the [[Nationalist Congress Party]] and represents the [[Elathur (State Assembly constituency)|Elathur constituency]]. He was previously elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in [[1980 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1980]], [[1982 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|1982]], [[2006 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|2006]], [[2011 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|2011]] and [[2016 Kerala Legislative Assembly election|2016]].

==Personal life==

He is the son of K. Kunhambu and M. K. Janaki. He was born in [[Kannur]] on 29 January 1946. He is married to Anitha Krishnan N T and has one son Varun Saseendran. He resides at Mele Chovva, Kannur.

Hobbies : Reading and Travelling

Recreation : Watching Football<ref name=":0">{{Cite web|title=Welcome to Kerala Legislature|url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/|access-date=2021-05-19|website=www.niyamasabha.org}}</ref>

== Political life ==
One among the senior leaders in Kerala politics. A native of Elayavoor in Kannur, Saseendran started his political career through KSU in 1962. After holding various party posts, he joined Congress (S) in 1978. Later he joined NCP and currently he is a member of national working committee since 2006.
He was elected to the Assembly in 1980 from Peringalam, 1982 from Edakkad, 2006 from Balussery and three times consecutively from Elathur during 2011,2016 and 2021 elections.

=== Positions held ===
* President, District Committee, Kerala Students Union Kozhikode (1963–66)
* General Secretary, Kerala Students Union (1967–69)
* General Secretary (1969–77)
* Vice President (1969–78) and President (1978-80)
* Kerala Pradesh Youth Congress Committee (1978–80)
* Member, Coffee Board (1978–80)
* ISCUS (1977–81)
* Governing Board of Kerala Saksharata Samiti (1987-91 & 1992-97)
* Kerala State Housing Board (1997-2001)
* Vice-President, Jawaharlal Nehru Public Library and Research Centre, Kannur
* General Secretary, Congress (U) & Indian Congress Socialist (Congress(S))
* Member, Advisory Committee, Food Corporation of India
* State General Secretary, State Vice President, National Committee Member, Working Committee Member and Parliamentary Party leader of Nationalist Congress Party (N.C.P.)
* Kerala Legislative Assembly; Minister for Transport (from 25-5-2016 to 27-3-2017 and 01-2-2018 to 03-05-2021)
* Kerala Legislative Assembly; Minister for Forests, Wild Life Protection (from 20-5-2021) <ref name="Positions">{{cite web |last1=A.K |first1=Saseendran |title=Kerala Legislature Members |url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/members/a_k_saseendran.htm |website=Niyamasabha.org |access-date=20 May 2021 |ref=11}}</ref>

{| class="wikitable"
|+Kerala Legislative Assembly Election
! colspan="5" |
|-
!Year
!Constituency
!Closest Rival
!Majority
(Votes)
!Won/Lost
|-
|1980
|Peringalam
|K. C. Marar (JNP)
|5890
|Won<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala Assembly Election Results in 1980|url=https://www.elections.in/kerala/assembly-constituencies/1980-election-results.html|access-date=2021-05-19|website=www.elections.in}}</ref>
|-
|1982
|Edakkad
|K. Sudhakaran (Janata-G)
|7543
|Won<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala Assembly Election Results 1982: EDAKKAD- A. K. Saseendran|url=http://www.keralaassembly.org/1982/1982011.html|access-date=2021-05-19|website=www.keralaassembly.org}}</ref>
|-
|1987
|Cannanore
|P. Bhaskaran (INC)
|8048
|Lost<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala Assembly Election Results in 1987|url=https://www.elections.in/kerala/assembly-constituencies/1987-election-results.html|access-date=2021-05-19|website=www.elections.in}}</ref>
|-
|1991
|Cannanore
|N. Ramakrishnan (INC)
|14805
|Lost<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala Assembly Election Results in 1991|url=https://www.elections.in/kerala/assembly-constituencies/1991-election-results.html|access-date=2021-05-19|website=www.elections.in}}</ref>
|-
|2006
|Balusseri
|K Balakrishnan Kidavu(INC)
|14160
|Won<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala Assembly Election Results in 2006|url=https://www.elections.in/kerala/assembly-constituencies/2006-election-results.html|access-date=2021-05-19|website=www.elections.in}}</ref>
|-
|2011
|Elathur
|Shaik P Harriz (SJD)
|14654
|Won<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala Assembly Election Results in 2011|url=https://www.elections.in/kerala/assembly-constituencies/2011-election-results.html|access-date=2021-05-19|website=www.elections.in}}</ref>
|-
|2016
|Elathur
|Kishen Chand (JD(U))
|29057
|Won<ref>{{Cite web|title=Kerala Assembly Election Results in 2016|url=https://www.elections.in/kerala/assembly-constituencies/2016-election-results.html|access-date=2021-05-19|website=www.elections.in}}</ref>
|-
|2021
|Elathur
|Sulphikar Mayoori (IND)
|38502
|Won<ref>{{Cite web|title=Election Commission of India|url=https://results.eci.gov.in/Result2021/ConstituencywiseS1126.htm?ac=26|access-date=2021-05-19|website=results.eci.gov.in}}</ref>
|}
[[File:Saseendran.jpg|thumb|In office]]
[[File:AKSaseendran.jpg|thumb|Shri. A K Saseendran swearing-in as Minister of Forests, Wild Life protection.]]

== Controversy ==
On 26 March 2017, Saseendran resigned as minister after a newly launched malayalam television channel, [[Mangalam TV]], aired a telephonic audio clip in which he is allegedly heard speaking in a sexually explicit way to a person, whom the channel claimed was a [[housewife]].<ref>{{Cite web|title=Minister A K Saseendran phone talk Mangalam tv exclusive launching YouTube 360p - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EguW4cy2vxw&app=desktop|access-date=2020-07-22|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-03-26|title=Kerala minister AK Saseendran quits over alleged obscene phone call with woman|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kerala-minister-quits-over-alleged-obscene-phone-conversation-with-woman/story-fA00lc5IoPETZ2YUMs048H.html|access-date=2020-07-22|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-04-05|title=Kerala sleaze audio case: Mangalam TV channel CEO, 4 others arrested|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kerala-sleaze-audio-case-mangalam-tv-channel-ceo-4-others-arrested/story-o98UulJ5mV4mdCUtIXpYiM.html|access-date=2020-07-22|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref>

Later, the channel [[Chief executive officer|CEO]] apologised and admitted that it was a [[sting operation]] done using a woman journalist of the channel<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-03-31|title=Mangalam TV CEO apologises for sting against former minister|url=https://indianexpress.com/article/india/mangalam-tv-ceo-apologises-for-sting-against-former-minister-4593308/|access-date=2020-07-22|website=The Indian Express|language=en}}</ref> after having denied it earlier.<ref>{{Cite web|title='Will you stop journalism if HONEY TRAP proved'?; Mangalam CEO tongue tied in Editors Hour - YouTube|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE4nELG3b8A&app=desktop|access-date=2020-07-22|website=www.youtube.com}}</ref>

On April 4, the CEO and four mediapersons of the channel were arrested by the [[Kerala Police|police]] for airing “[[Obscenity|obscene]] conversation” and criminal conspiracy.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2017-04-05|title=Kerala sleaze audio case: Mangalam TV channel CEO, 4 others arrested|url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/kerala-sleaze-audio-case-mangalam-tv-channel-ceo-4-others-arrested/story-o98UulJ5mV4mdCUtIXpYiM.html|access-date=2020-07-22|website=Hindustan Times|language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|last=Legal|first=India|date=2017-04-11|title=Trouble in store for Mangalam TV|url=https://www.indialegallive.com/commercial-news/controversy-news/trouble-store-mangalam-tv|access-date=2020-07-22|website=India Legal|language=en-US}}</ref>

Later, Saseendran was acquitted in the case after the complainant, who had earlier alleged [[sexual harassment]] turned [[Hostile witness|hostile]] in court and he returned as minister.<ref>{{Cite web|title=NCP's AK Saseendran acquitted; set to return to Kerala state cabinet|url=https://www.newindianexpress.com/states/kerala/2018/jan/27/ncps-ak-saseendran-acquitted-set-to-return-to-kerala-state-cabinet-1764225.html|access-date=2020-07-22|website=The New Indian Express}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|date=2018-02-02|title=After acquittal in sleaze talk case, AK Saseendran returns to Kerala cabinet|url=https://www.financialexpress.com/india-news/after-acquittal-in-sleaze-talk-case-ak-saseendran-returns-to-kerala-cabinet/1048040/|access-date=2020-07-22|website=The Financial Express|language=en-US}}</ref> Saseendran was the second Minister to resign from the [[Pinarayi Vijayan]] Cabinet.<ref>{{cite news|title=Kerala Transport Minister Saseendran quits after TV exposé|url=http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/kerala/kerala-transport-minister-resigns/article17667134.ece?homepage=true|work=[[The Hindu]]|date=26 March 2017}}</ref>

== References ==

{{reflist}}
{{Left Democratic Front (Kerala)}}

{{Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet 2016 |state=expanded}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Saseendran, A. K.}}
[[Category:Members of the Kerala Legislative Assembly]]
[[Category:1946 births]]
[[Category:Nationalist Congress Party politicians from Kerala]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Politicians from Kozhikode]]
[[Category:Politicians from Kannur]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress (U) politicians]]
[[Category:Indian National Congress politicians]]

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A. K. Saseendran