Balakrishna Pillai: A seasoned politician whose career was mired in controversies

The seven-time legislator from Kottarakara held portfolios of Electricity, Excise and Transport in the Ministries of C. Achutha Menon, K. Karunakaran, E.K. Nayanar and A. K. Antony.

The political career of Keezhoote Raman Pillai Balakrishna Pillai, , was storied and mired in controversies. A seasoned politician and seven-time legislator from Kottarakara, he had held portfolios of Electricity, Excise and Transport in the Ministries of C. Achutha Menon, K. Karunakaran, E.K. Nayanar and A. K. Antony. The youngest MLA to be elected to the Kerala Legislative Assembly in 1960, he served as the chairman of Kerala State Welfare Corporation for Forward Communities during his last days. With links across party lines, very often he excelled as a leader who clearly understood the political nitty-gritty and undercurrents in a tumultuous career spanning over six decades. Born as the son of Keezhoottu Raman Pillai and Karthiayani Amma on April 7, 1934, Mr. Pillai started off with campus politics and later graduated to the Congress. At the age of 25 he entered the Kerala Assembly for the first time representing Pathanapuram constituency and three years later contested the local body election to be elected as the president of Edamulakkal panchayat. It was in 1964 that a faction quit the Congress and formed the Kerala Congress and Mr. Pillai was made the general secretary of the party. He tasted defeat in the next Assembly election and later the party split into B and M groups, Mr. Pillai and Mani heading the two new factions. Before joining the Achutha Menon Ministry, he was elected to Lok Sabha from the Mavelikkara constituency in 1971. He also served as the president of Kottarakara panchayat for long, till a legislation prevented MLAs and MPs from contesting to be precise.