->Johnpacklambert at 18:10, 15 November 2021

2021-11-15T18:10:10Z

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{{short description|Former Chief minister of Kerala}}
{{weasel|date=September 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=December 2015}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2020}}
{{Infobox officeholder
| name = E. K. Nayanar
| image = Ek nayanar.jpeg
| image_size = 200px
| caption =
| order = 9th
| office = Chief Minister of Kerala
| governor1 = [[Khurshed Alam Khan]] [[Sukhdev Singh Kang]]
| term_start1 = 20 May 1996
| term_end1 = 13 May 2001
| predecessor1 = [[A. K. Antony]]
| successor1 = A. K. Antony
| governor2 = [[P. Ramachandran]] [[Ram Dulari Sinha]] [[Sarup Singh]] [[B. Rachaiah]]
| term_start2 = 26 March 1987
| term_end2 = 17 June 1991
| predecessor2 = [[K. Karunakaran]]
| successor2 = K. Karunakaran
| governor3 = [[Jothi Venkatachalam]]
| term_start3 = 25 January 1980
| term_end3 = 20 October 1981
| predecessor3 = [[President's Rule]]
| successor3 = K. Karunakaran
| office4 = Secretary of the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] Kerala State Committee
| term_start5 = 1972
| term_end5 = 1980
| predecessor5 = C.H. Kanaran
| successor5 = [[V.S. Achuthanandan]]
| term_start6 = 1992
| term_end6 = 1996
| predecessor6 = [[V.S. Achuthanandan]]
| successor6 = [[Chadayan Govindan]]
| office8 = Member of the [[Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)]]
| term_start8 = 9 January 1992
| term_end8 = 19 May 2004
| birth_date = {{birth date|1919|12|9|df=y}}
| birth_place = [[Kalliasseri]], [[Kannur]], [[Madras Presidency]], [[British India]] {{small|''(Now in [[Kerala]], India)''}}
| death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|2004|5|19|1918|12|9}}
| death_place = [[Delhi]], [[India]]
| death_cause = [[Heart failure|Heart]] and [[Kidney failure]]
| resting_place = [[Payyambalam Beach]], [[Kannur]], Kerala
| party = [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]]
| date = 2 November|
| year = 2007|
| source = https://web.archive.org/web/20070820105510/http://www.keralacm.gov.in/ek_nayanar.htm Government of Kerala
}}
'''Erambala Krishnan Nayanar''' (9 December 1919{{spaced ndash}}19 May 2004) was an Indian politician of the [[Communist Party of India (Marxist)]] or CPI(M). He served three terms (eleven years) as the [[Chief Minister of Kerala]] (1980-1981, 1987-1991 and 1996-2001), making him the longest-serving holder of that office. At the time of death, he was a senior leader within the CPI(M), being a member of its central [[Politburo of the Communist Party of India (Marxist)|Politburo]] (1992–2004), and twice heading its Kerala state unit (1972-1980, 1992-1996).

== Early life ==
Nayanar was born in an aristocratic [[Nambiar]] family in [[Kalliasseri]] in [[Kannur district]] on 9 December 1919, as the second son of Govindan Nambiar and Narayani Amma. Despite his father, Govindan Nambiar, being a believer in the feudalism, Nayanar took to the national movement of the time at a very young age under the influence of his cousin, [[K.P.R. Gopalan]]. Nayanar was influenced by the events following the admission of a Dalit girl to local school under the leadership of K.P.R. Gopalan. Nayanar was a participant in student movements in the [[Malabar (Northern Kerala)|Malabar]] region as a part of [[Balasangham]]<ref name="PD article">{{cite web|title=Comrade E K Nayanar|url=http://pd.cpim.org/2004/0523/05232004_com%20ek%20nayanar.htm|publisher=People's Democracy|access-date=23 September 2004|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20041211071258/http://pd.cpim.org/2004/0523/05232004_com%20ek%20nayanar.htm|archive-date=11 December 2004|url-status=dead}}</ref> and consequently dropped out of school. He also faced severe opposition from his father. He was drawn towards the socialist ideology guided by leaders like [[P. Krishna Pillai]]. Nayanar famously helped in the establishment of a library and named it Shri Harshan Library, after Harshan, a member of the oppressed caste who was tortured to death at the [[Kannur Central Jail]] for his participation in the national movement.<ref name="The Hindu Obutary">{{cite news|title=The people's leader|url=http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/thscrip/print.pl?file=20040618002008900.htm&date=fl2112/&prd=fline&|access-date=19 January 2012|newspaper=The Hindu}}</ref>

==Political life==
=== Pre-Independence ===
Nayanar was an Indian National Congress member then he joined the undivided [[Communist Party of India]] in 1939 at the age of 20. As a youth leader, Nayanar organized several movements. He led the forty-six-day-long Aaron Mill workers' protest against the dismissal of thirty workers by the mill management in 1940. He was jailed for six months as a consequence. Nayanar was one of the organizers of Morazha rally on 15 September 1940 in protest of rising prices. Two policemen were killed in the rally and Nayanar went into hiding for six years without knowing that he was not one of the accused. He also organized peasant uprisings in Kayyur. A policeman was stoned by protesters and subsequently died in Kayyur. Communist leaders were actively pursued by police following the incident, forcing Nayanar to go into hiding in forest areas in Eleri. Later on, as Chief Minister, he set up a Government College in the area in 1981. The college was renamed to [[E.K. Nayanar Memorial Government college]]. While in hiding in [[Travancore]], he worked as a journalist for [[Kerala Kaumudi]].<ref name="The Hindu Obutary"/><ref name="Book of Chief Ministers">{{cite web|title=Chief Ministers and Leaders of Opposition of Kerala|url=http://niyamasabha.org/codes/Chief%20Ministers%20Book%20Final.pdf|publisher=Secretariat of the Kerala legislature}}</ref>

=== Post-Independence ===
After Independence, cases against Nayanar were dropped. He continued working actively for Communist Party of India. He was elected Kannur taluk secretary in 1948. He again was forced to go into hiding following '[[Calcutta Thesis]]' proclamation that lead to banning Communist Party in India. During the [[Sino-Indian War]], Nayanar was accused of being pro-China and was imprisoned in 1964 under the Preventive Detention Act.<ref name="Book of Chief Ministers"/><ref name="One India Article">{{cite web|title=Nayanarude Jeevitham|date=17 May 2001|url=http://malayalam.oneindia.in/biodata/2001/051701nayanar.html|work=OneIndia|access-date=19 January 2012}}</ref> He was the secretary of [[Kozhikode]] district committee of the united CPI from 1956 to 1964.<ref name="PD article"/>

Nayanar was also one of the 32 CPI national council members who walked out and formed [[CPI(M)]] in 1964. He was a central committee member of the CPI(M) from the 7th Congress in 1964. He served as the Secretary of the Kerala State Committee of the CPI(M) from 1972 to 1980 and again from 1992 to 1996. He was elected to the Polit Bureau at the 14th Congress in 1992.<ref name="PD article"/>

=== Legislative career ===
In 1967, he was elected to the [[Lok Sabha]] from [[Palakkad]]. He became an MLA for the first time from [[Irikkur legislative assembly]] in 1974. Since he has been elected as an MLA five more times (twice each from [[Malampuzha]] (1980 and 1982) and [[Thrikkarippur]] (1987 and 1991) and once from [[Thalasseri]] (1996), losing only once.<ref name="One India Article"/>

Nayanar became the Chief Minister of Kerala for the first time in 1980. He formed government with the support of [[Congress (A)]] under [[A. K. Antony]] and [[Kerala Congress]] under [[K. M. Mani]]. But both the parties left for United Democratic Front (UDF) coalition and the Government was dissolved on 20 October 1981. [[K. Karunakaran]] consequently formed the government, and Nayanar became the leader of the opposition.<ref name="One India Article"/> He served as the leader of the opposition from 1981 to 1987.

Nayanar became the chief Minister for a second time in 1987. But he did not complete his term of five years as [[CPI(M)]] decided to contest elections early in 1991 assuming political climate to be favourable. But the left lost the elections and Nayanar became the leader of the opposition yet again. He resigned from that post the very next year when he was chosen as the Kerala state secretary of the CPI(M) and was succeeded by [[V. S. Achuthanandan]] as the opposition leader.<ref name="TOI article">{{cite news|title=Nayanar: Crowd puller of Lefitst forces|url=http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-05-19/thiruvananthapuram/28330771_1_crowd-puller-cpi-m-party-activities|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130103074138/http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2004-05-19/thiruvananthapuram/28330771_1_crowd-puller-cpi-m-party-activities|url-status=dead|archive-date=3 January 2013|access-date=19 January 2012|work=[[The Times of India]]|date=19 May 2004}}</ref>

Nayanar initially had not contested the 1996 assembly elections. [[V.S. Achudanandan]] who was projected as the Chief Ministerial candidate lost in [[Mararikkulam]].{{citation needed|date=October 2018}} A faction in the party wanted [[Susheela Gopalan]] to be the Chief Minister,{{citation needed|date=October 2018}} but when the matter was put to vote in the state secretariat, Nayanar was selected to be the CM. He contested and won by-elections in Thalasseri.<ref name="TOI article"/>

Nayanar introduced several reforms during his tenures as Chief Minister like The Kerala Coir workers Welfare Fund Act, 1987, The Kerala Khadi Workers' Welfare Fund Act, 1989, The Kerala Abkari Workers Welfare Fund Act, 1989, The Kerala Construction workers' Welfare Fund Act, 1989 and the Kerala Ration Dealer's Welfare Fund Act, 1998. It was during his last stint as Chief Minister that the LDF launched the [[People's Planning in Kerala|People's Planning Campaign]] in 1996.<ref name="The Hindu Obutary"/>

He is revered and respected by both the LDF and UDF for his contributions for the development of the state.

== Literary works ==
Nayanar has authored several works in both English and Malayalam. He was also an [[occasional poetry|occasional poet]]. A few notable works are:<ref name="Book of Chief Ministers"/>
#''Olivukala Smrithkal'': Memories of Hideout Days > {{Cite book |url=https://nastiknation.org/product/olivukala-smrithikal|title=Olivukala Smrithikal-}}
# ''Doha Diary''
# ''Marxism-Oru Mukhavara'' (Marxism-An introduction)
# ''Nehru-Gandhi Oru Padanam'' (Nehru-Gandhi A Study)
# ''Karl Marx''
# ''American Diary''
# ''Ente China Diary'' (My China Diary)
# ''Parliamentum Chila Vasthuthakalum'' (Parliament and Some Facts)
# ''Samara Theecholayil''

Nayanar had been a correspondent and editor for [[Deshabhimani]]. He had worked in [[Chennai]] as Deshabhimani correspondent. He used to write a weekly column is Deshabhimani, ''Munnottu'' (Forward).<ref name="TOI article"/><ref>{{cite web|title=Vajpayee, Jinnah are two sides of the same coin: Nayanar|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/1999/oct/21keral.htm|publisher=Rediff|access-date=19 January 2012}}</ref>

==In popular culture==
Nayanar was renowned for his humorous remarks and speeches.<ref name="Book of Chief Ministers"/> During his third term as Chief Minister, Nayanar also used to conduct a public interaction show, "''Mukhya Mantriyodu Chothikyuka''" ("Ask the Chief Minister") in [[Asianet (TV channel)|Asianet]] TV channel.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/11/stories/2007071150270200.htm|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081006154049/http://www.hindu.com/2007/07/11/stories/2007071150270200.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=6 October 2008|newspaper=[[The Hindu]]| title=Facing the arc lights | date=11 July 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Ask the Chief Minister!|url=http://www.rediff.com/news/dec/09kerala.htm|publisher=Rediff}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Nayanar married Sarada Teacher, niece of [[K. P. R. Gopalan]] in 1958. They had two sons and two daughters.<ref name="Book of Chief Ministers"/><ref name="One India Article"/>

== Death ==
[[File:E K Nayanar Memorial Payyambalam.jpg|thumb|E. K. Nayanar Memorial at Payyambalam Beach, where he was cremated.]]
Nayanar was admitted to the AIIMS on 26 April for advanced treatment of diabetes, after a brief stay at the Medical College Hospital in Thiruvananthapuram earlier. His condition became worse following kidney and heart failure on 6 May when he was put on the life support system. He died on 19 May 2004 at the age of 85.<ref name="The Hindu Obutary"/> He was cremated with full state honours at [[Payyambalam Beach]], Kannur. He is survived by his wife, children, in-laws and grandchildren.

== See also ==
* [[List of chief ministers of Kerala|Chief Ministers of Kerala]]
* [[Kerala Council of Ministers]]
* [[Kerala#Politics|Politics in Kerala]]

==References==
{{commons category|E. K. Nayanar}}
{{reflist}}
==Further reading==
* {{Citation|title=Chief Ministers, Ministers, and Leaders of Opposition of Kerala|last=|publisher=Secratriat of [[Kerala Legislative Assembly|Kerala Legislature]]|year=2018|location=[[Thiruvananthapuram]]|url=http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/14kla/chief%20ministers,%20ministers,%20leaders%20of%20opposition.pdf}}

{{S-start}}
{{Succession box| before = [[C.H. Mohammed Koya]] | title = [[Chief Minister of Kerala]] | years = 1980–1981 | after = [[K. Karunakaran]]}}
{{Succession box| before = [[K. Karunakaran]] | title = [[Chief Minister of Kerala]] | years = 1987–1991 | after = [[K. Karunakaran]]}}
{{Succession box| before = [[A. K. Antony]] | title = [[Chief Minister of Kerala]] | years = 1996–2001 | after = [[A. K. Antony]]}}
{{S-end}}
{{Chief Ministers of Kerala}}
{{Communist Party of India (Marxist)}}
{{Left Democratic Front (Kerala)}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Nayanar, E. K.}}
[[Category:1919 births]]
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[[Category:Communist Party of India (Marxist) politicians from Kerala]]
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[[Category:4th Lok Sabha members]]
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[[Category:Chief ministers from Communist Party of India (Marxist)]]
[[Category:Kerala MLAs 1970–1977]]
[[Category:Kerala MLAs 1982–1987]]
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[[Category:Occasional poets]]

E. K. Nayanar - Revision history

->Johnpacklambert at 18:10, 15 November 2021