A.K.Saseendran
Minister for Forests, Wild Life Protection Government of Kerala
Assumed office
20 May 2021
Minister for Transport, Government of Kerala
In office
1 February 2018 (2018-02-01) – 03 May 2021
Preceded byThomas Chandy
Succeeded byAntony Raju
In office
25 May 2016 (2016-05-25) – 26 March 2017 (2017-03-26)
Preceded byThiruvanchoor Radhakrishnan
Succeeded byThomas Chandy
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Assumed office
1 June 2011 (2011-06-01)
Preceded byEstablished
ConstituencyElathur
Personal details
Born (1946-01-29) 29 January 1946 (age 78)
Kannur, Malabar District, Madras Presidency, British India
(present-day Kerala, India)
Political partyNationalist Congress Party
SpouseAnitha Krishnan N. T.
ChildrenVarun Saseendran
Parents
  • K. Kunhambu
  • M. K. Janaki
Residence(s)Chovva, Kannur

A. K. Saseendran (born 29 January 1946) is an Indian politician serving as the Minister for Forests, Wild Life Protection, Government of Kerala[1][2] in the second Pinarayi Vijayan ministry. He belongs to the Nationalist Congress Party and represents the Elathur constituency. He was previously elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1980, 1982, 2006, 2011 and 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[3]

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

Kerala Legislative Assembly Election
Year Constituency Closest Rival Majority

(Votes)

Won/Lost
1980 Peringalam K. C. Marar (JNP) 5890 Won[5]
1982 Edakkad K. Sudhakaran (Janata-G) 7543 Won[6]
1987 Cannanore P. Bhaskaran (INC) 8048 Lost[7]
1991 Cannanore N. Ramakrishnan (INC) 14805 Lost[8]
2006 Balusseri K Balakrishnan Kidavu(INC) 14160 Won[9]
2011 Elathur Shaik P Harriz (SJD) 14654 Won[10]
2016 Elathur Kishen Chand (JD(U)) 29057 Won[11]
2021 Elathur Sulphikar Mayoori (IND) 38502 Won[12]
In office
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.[13][14][15]

Later, the channel CEO apologised and admitted that it was a sting operation done using a woman journalist of the channel[16] after having denied it earlier.[17]

On April 4, the CEO and four mediapersons of the channel were arrested by the police for airing “obscene conversation” and criminal conspiracy.[18][19]

Later, Saseendran was acquitted in the case after the complainant, who had earlier alleged sexual harassment turned hostile in court and he returned as minister.[20][21] Saseendran was the second Minister to resign from the Pinarayi Vijayan Cabinet.[22]

References

  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 21 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ "Notifications - Government of Kerala, India". kerala.gov.in. Archived from the original on 17 May 2021. Retrieved 21 May 2021.
  3. ^ "Welcome to Kerala Legislature". www.niyamasabha.org. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  4. ^ A.K, Saseendran. "Kerala Legislature Members". Niyamasabha.org. Retrieved 20 May 2021.
  5. ^ "Kerala Assembly Election Results in 1980". www.elections.in. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  6. ^ "Kerala Assembly Election Results 1982: EDAKKAD- A. K. Saseendran". www.keralaassembly.org. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  7. ^ "Kerala Assembly Election Results in 1987". www.elections.in. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  8. ^ "Kerala Assembly Election Results in 1991". www.elections.in. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  9. ^ "Kerala Assembly Election Results in 2006". www.elections.in. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  10. ^ "Kerala Assembly Election Results in 2011". www.elections.in. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  11. ^ "Kerala Assembly Election Results in 2016". www.elections.in. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  12. ^ "Election Commission of India". results.eci.gov.in. Retrieved 19 May 2021.
  13. ^ "Minister A K Saseendran phone talk Mangalam tv exclusive launching YouTube 360p - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  14. ^ "Kerala minister AK Saseendran quits over alleged obscene phone call with woman". Hindustan Times. 26 March 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  15. ^ "Kerala sleaze audio case: Mangalam TV channel CEO, 4 others arrested". Hindustan Times. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  16. ^ "Mangalam TV CEO apologises for sting against former minister". The Indian Express. 31 March 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  17. ^ "'Will you stop journalism if HONEY TRAP proved'?; Mangalam CEO tongue tied in Editors Hour - YouTube". www.youtube.com. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  18. ^ "Kerala sleaze audio case: Mangalam TV channel CEO, 4 others arrested". Hindustan Times. 5 April 2017. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  19. ^ Legal, India (11 April 2017). "Trouble in store for Mangalam TV". India Legal. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  20. ^ "NCP's AK Saseendran acquitted; set to return to Kerala state cabinet". The New Indian Express. Archived from the original on 30 January 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  21. ^ "After acquittal in sleaze talk case, AK Saseendran returns to Kerala cabinet". The Financial Express. 2 February 2018. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
  22. ^ "Kerala Transport Minister Saseendran quits after TV exposé". The Hindu. 26 March 2017.
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