P. J. Joseph

P. J. Joseph (born 10 June 1941) is an Indian politician, former minister and MLA, representing the Thodupuzha assembly constituency. He entered Kerala politics through Kerala Congress in 1968

P.J Joseph
പി. ജെ. ജോസഫ്
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
Assumed office
2006 (2006)
Preceded byP. T. Thomas
ConstituencyThodupuzha
Minister for Water Resources, Irrigation and Inland Navigation, Government of Kerala
In office
23 May 2011 (2011-05-23) – 20 May 2016 (2016-05-20)
Preceded byN. K. Premachandran
Succeeded byMathew T. Thomas
ConstituencyThodupuzha
Member of the Kerala Legislative Assembly
In office
1970 (1970) – 1991 (1991)
Preceded byK. C. Zacharia
Succeeded byP. T. Thomas
In office
1996 (1996) – 2001 (2001)
Preceded byP. T. Thomas
Succeeded byP. T. Thomas
Minister for Public Works, Government of Kerala
In office
18 May 2006 (2006-05-18) – 4 September 2006 (2006-09-04)
Preceded byM. K. Muneer
Succeeded byT. U. Kuruvilla
In office
17 August 2009 (2009-08-17) – 30 April 2010 (2010-04-30)
Preceded byMons Joseph
Succeeded byV. K. Ebrahimkunju
In office
18 May 2006 (2006-05-18) – 4 September 2006 (2006-09-04)
Preceded byM. K. Muneer
Succeeded byT. U. Kuruvilla
In office
May 1996 (1996-05) – May 2001 (2001-05)
Preceded byC. T. Ahammed Ali
Succeeded byM. K. Muneer
ConstituencyThodupuzha
Minister for Education, Government of Kerala
In office
May 1996 (1996-05) – May 2001 (2001-05)
Preceded byE. T. Muhammed Basheer
Succeeded byNalakath Soopy
In office
28 December 1981 (1981-12-28) – 17 March 1982 (1982-03-17)
Preceded byBaby John
Succeeded byT. M. Jacob
ConstituencyThodupuzha
Minister for Revenue and Housing, Government of Kerala
In office
28 December 1981 (1981-12-28) – 25 March 1987 (1987-03-25)
Preceded byP. S. Sreenivasan
Succeeded byP. S. Sreenivasan
ConstituencyThodupuzha
Minister for Home Affairs, Government of Kerala
In office
16 January 1978 (1978-01-16) – 15 September 1978 (1978-09-15)
Preceded byK. M. Mani
Succeeded byK. M. Mani
ConstituencyThodupuzha
Personal details
Born (1941-06-10) 10 June 1941
Purapuzha, Kingdom of Travancore, British India
(present day Idukki, Kerala, India)
NationalityIndian
Political partyKerala Congress (Joseph)
Spouse(s)
Dr. Santha Joseph
​
(m. 1971)​
Children4
ResidencePurapuzha, Kerala

Political career

Early Career(1969-2006)

P.J Joseph contested and won his first election from Thodupuzha to the legislative assembly. He won these elections on nine occasions (1970, 1977, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1996, 2006, 2011, 2016).[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9] He contested to the Lok Sabha at Muvattupuzha and Idukki in 1989 and 1991, but was unsuccessful. In 1979 he parted ways with Kerala congress leader K. M. Mani to form a new party, Kerala Congress (Joseph). In 1985 Kerala congress leaders K. M. Mani (from Kerala Congress (M)), P. J. Joseph from Kerala Congress (Joseph), R. Balakrishna Pillai (from Kerala Congress (B)) and their parties merged forming the united Kerala Congress. This party split in 1987. P. J. Joseph continued in United Democratic Front (UDF) till 1989. Issue raised in Moovattupuzha loksabha seat joseph left the alliance and joined to LDF. Since 1991 Joseph's party became part of the Left Democratic Front (LDF) as an alliance.

Resignation from Cabinet(2006-2009)

Joseph resigned from the Kerala Cabinet on 4 September 2006 as he was accused of misbehaviour with a lady co-passenger on a Kingfisher flight. He was acquitted by court on 11 May 2009 due to insufficient evidence.[10] He attributed the allegation to a political vendetta by his detractors in the opposition MLA groups, who had been expelled from his party and people who had tried to criticise him in connection with alleged irregularities in the implementation of a Housing Scheme for registrations called "Maitri" during his ministerial term during 1996–2001.[11] 2009 he again become minister

Stand for United Kerala Congress and resign(2010-2020)

In 2010, after 23 years, Joseph's party again merged with Kerala Congress (M) and a alliance member of United Democratic Front (UDF). He held various ministerial positions within the Government of Kerala:[12] the first time was in 1978 as Home Minister in A. K. Antony's ministry. Joseph was also Revenue minister twice in K. Karunakaran's ministry between 1981 and 1982 and 1982–1987, and Education minister between 1996 and 2001 at E. K. Nayanar's ministry. He was short-term PWD minister in V. S. Achuthanandan's ministry in 2006 and 2010.

On 30 April 2010, Joseph resigned from the LDF government and declared his party's merger with K. M. Mani's party. After UDF's win in Kerala Legislative Assembly's election in 2011, Oommen Chandy became Chief Minister of Kerala. Joseph was appointed minister for the 7th time, now with the portfolio of irrigation; he completed his term in 2016.[13]

Election Victory

In the Kerala assembly election of 2011, Joseph defeated Joseph Augustine of LDF by a margin of 22,868 votes. He joined the UDF ministry led by Oommen Chandy as the Minister for Irrigations. In the Kerala assembly election 2016, Joseph defeated his rival CPM backed independent by 45,587 votes recording the highest margin in 2016 elections and second highest in the history of Kerala Assembly election.

Second Split from Mani friction and Revival of Kerala Congress (J)(2020-present)

After the death of the chairman of Kerala Congress(M) K.M.Mani, His Son Jose K Mani claims as next chairman.However other senior leaders of the party didn't approve this. P.J Joseph was the party chairman in his absence of Original Chairman,Joseph also stand against this coupe lead by Mani's son . which cause another split of Kerala Congress. Kerala Congress (M) party sidelined with two factions: Joseph faction and Jose faction.

  1. Joseph faction: P J Joseph,C. F. Thomas and Monce Joseph.
  1. Jose k mani faction: Jose K. Mani,Roshy AugustineN. Jayarajand Thomas Chazhikadan

Two factions filed in court that they both wanted the Two Leaves party symbol and name .

Contributions

Joseph created an NGO promoting organic agricultural activities. He instituted the Gandhian Studies Centre and the Gandhi Centre for Sustainable Development. The former is a registered NGO committed to the development and empowerment of the marginalised section including farmers, unemployed, women, and children from the backward communities etc., irrespective of their caste and political affiliations. The latter concentrates on training and research for agriculture, animal husbandry and rural development.[14][15]

Personal life

P J Joseph married Dr. Santha Joseph (Retd. Additional Director, Kerala Health Department) on 15 September 1971.

They have four children, Three sons and one daughter, named as Appu John Joseph, Dr. Anu Yamuna, Antony Joseph and the late Jomon Joseph.[16] Jomon Joseph, his youngest son, who suffered from Down's Syndrome, died on 20 November 2020 aged 34.

See also

Second Oommen Chandy ministry

V. S. Achuthanandan ministry

Third E. K. Nayanar ministry

Third K. Karunakaran ministry

Second K. Karunakaran ministry

First A. K. Antony ministry

References
  1. http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/mem_1_4.htm 4th KLA
  2. http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/mem_1_5.htm 5th KLA
  3. http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/mem_1_6.htm 6th KLA
  4. http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/mem_1_7.htm 7th KLA
  5. http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/mem_1_8.htm 8th KLA
  6. http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/mem_1_10.htm 10th KLA
  7. http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/mem_1_12.htm 12th KLA
  8. http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/mem_1_13.htm 13th KLA
  9. http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/mem_1_14.htm 14th KLA
  10. Scaria, Joe A. "Joseph acquitted in misbehaviour case". The Economic Times. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  11. "Joseph steps down; Kuruvilla named new Kerala Congress(J) Minister". Chennai, India: The Hindu Online. 5 September 2006.
  12. http://www.niyamasabha.org/codes/13kla/members/p_j_joseph.htm P. J. Joseph MLA
  13. "Kerala Congress(J) splits, PJ Joseph resigns". Rediff. Retrieved 29 September 2020.
  14. "Adopt organic farming methods". Chennai, India: The Hindu Online. 7 February 2006.
  15. "Declare Kerala an organic farming State: Joseph". Chennai, India: The Hindu Online. 31 October 2006.
  16. https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kochi/kerala-congress-leader-pj-josephs-younger-son-dies-of-heart-attack/articleshow/79324823.cms
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